As a coach I always try to teach my players to play smart. This involves making the easy pass; not dribbling into traffic; taking good shots; playing together as a team; etc. This involves making sure the players are fundamentally sound and know the game plan. It means making sure they value every possession and protect the ball.
This is vital because the defense is trying to set traps and force you out of what you want to do. The opponent will switch defenses; run junk defenses; run full-court presses; run half-court presses; even study you to know your weaknesses. The goal of the opponent is to take you out of your comfort zone; to take you out of your game plan.
Do you realize we have an enemy in life that is trying to do the same thing? The goal of the enemy is to distract us; to get us off course; to get us to “dribble into traps” and to “take bad shots.”
A very simple reminder this week: we need to regularly be studying God’s “game plan” and applying it on the “court” of life.
Proverbs 22: 5 In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them.
Life is a gift – value each day (“every possession”) by honoring the Lord! Play smart!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
November 16, 2009 - Difficult Games
Tonight my son will play in the most difficult game of his short career in high school athletics. Sure it is only his second game of varsity ball, but the transition from game 1 to game 2 is huge.
Last week they opened with a team that was not very strong. My son was able to pour in a lot of points in a short amount of time by knocking down a lot of open looks. Tonight those looks will be much harder to come by. The team they are facing will be much bigger, stronger, and faster than our team. Some of the players will be 3 or 4 years older than my son.
So what is the proper way to approach this game? I have seen some making reference to David vs. Goliath – in hopes of the mighty upset. Some just laugh and say, “It will be over with soon.”
I say, “Son, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!” (See Philippians 4:13)
I am not telling my son that God is going to give him victory on the scoreboard; in fact they may get the poo beat out of them. What I am telling him is that the victory will be found in maximum effort to the glory of God. My prayer this morning with him was that the people in the gym will see a noticeable difference in his testimony.
Wouldn’t it be great if we could all learn that circumstances are not what determine our joy? Wouldn’t it be great if we could all focus on Christ whatever the circumstances?
It is in Christ where we find all we need for joy and contentment!
Last week they opened with a team that was not very strong. My son was able to pour in a lot of points in a short amount of time by knocking down a lot of open looks. Tonight those looks will be much harder to come by. The team they are facing will be much bigger, stronger, and faster than our team. Some of the players will be 3 or 4 years older than my son.
So what is the proper way to approach this game? I have seen some making reference to David vs. Goliath – in hopes of the mighty upset. Some just laugh and say, “It will be over with soon.”
I say, “Son, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!” (See Philippians 4:13)
I am not telling my son that God is going to give him victory on the scoreboard; in fact they may get the poo beat out of them. What I am telling him is that the victory will be found in maximum effort to the glory of God. My prayer this morning with him was that the people in the gym will see a noticeable difference in his testimony.
Wouldn’t it be great if we could all learn that circumstances are not what determine our joy? Wouldn’t it be great if we could all focus on Christ whatever the circumstances?
It is in Christ where we find all we need for joy and contentment!
Monday, November 9, 2009
November 9, 2009 - Whistles
This past Saturday I had the privilege of sharing with a group of coaches in
During the time I was reminded of a phone conversation I had with one of my dearest friends in the world. He was telling me of a game where the officials were not doing a good job and he had made sure he let them know it (to the point that he lost it a bit.) His call was one that had an element of confession and probably an element of hoping I would say, “Yeah those officials were horrible!” That would somewhat justify his outburst. (I know this because of the times I have had sideline outburst and hoped someone would tell me how bad they thought the officials were.)
What I shared with my friend that day, and with the coaches this past Saturday, was that we need to make sure we are remembering what our roles are. I asked him who was coaching his kids while he was coaching the referees.
A short time after that conversation with my friend he had to coach another game. He made a concentrated effort to coach his kids and not the referees. He later called me and shared how much more he got accomplished when he stayed on task – and how much better he felt about it. (I was very proud of him – and hoping I could then follow my own advice.)
Really it is all in perspective. First we must understand our roles in life and strive to live up to that. Second we must learn that when the “whistle blows” indicating an infraction in life, that is a perfect time for teaching and correction. We need to take advantage of those times, not look for excuses or someone to blame.
We live in a world where people cannot stand to be corrected. (Yet isn’t that what the officials are doing in a game when they blow their whistles?)
Proverbs 10:17 He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.
When coaching there are little eyes watching you and learning how to handle correction. In life realize that we all have a testimony – what is yours saying?
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