October 27, 2008 - Get Your Head In The Game

In sports it is important to learn to keep your head in the game. In fact as coaches we are often heard telling players to do just that. Usually a player has been distracted by something he feels is unfair or disappointing or maybe even something that was exciting and caused him to lose focus.

I can remember a game as the coach where I diagrammed an out of bounds play for one of my guys. It was for a last-second shot to win the game. I told the player that I would yell when it was time to pull the trigger for the shot so he wouldn’t have to watch the clock. As the boys went back onto the floor someone behind me said something to me. Without even knowing the ball had been put into play the time elapsed and I had not given my player his cue. I was distracted and didn’t keep my head in the game.

Focus is hard when there are so many distractions. There are entire books for athletes that explain using visualization techniques to get in the right mind-set. Coaches try to emulate game situations in practices so players won’t be distracted. Yet we all lose our heads at times.

How about you in your Christian life? Do you lose your head sometimes? I think Scripture gives us some stern warnings about “keeping our heads in the game.”

15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, (Ephesians 5)

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5)

Do you see the warning? We need to stay alert. We have an opponent – an enemy – that wants us to lose our heads.

If we are going to “keep our heads in the game”, we need to determine how to accomplish that. Colossians 3 tells us what we should be focusing on.
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

With every area of our lives we should be focusing on “things above.” Our perspective should be one of realizing we are always in the “game” and need to “play” accordingly. In fact the chapter goes on later to say that in everything we do and say, we should do it with all of our hearts unto the Lord. (See verses 17 and 23)

Here is your challenge this week: Realize that your time at work, at school, at home, etc. is all part of the “game.” You need to “get your head in the game” and stay focused on things above. Everything you do has eternal consequences.