I sat in a meeting this morning with the founder of a
missions organization discussing strategy and future plans for reaching the
world with the Gospel through the platform of sports… It was a great time of
fellowship! Each of us left the meeting excited to see what things the Lord is
unfolding for us and with decisions to make on how to proceed…
And it got me to thinking about “The Decision” when
LeBron took his talents to South Beach… the decision that caused LeBron to face
the wrath of fans, fellow players (especially the old timers), the media, etc. The
reality is that every decision we make has consequences, both positive and
negative; based upon not only the decision but also how we went about it.
First let me say I understand that “how” LeBron went
about announcing his decision was not the classiest of moves; yet ESPN had a
lot to do with that and also a media crazy world that will devote airtime to
even high school athletes announcing their decisions. It is simply the nature
of the culture.
Second, I want to dogmatically state that I understand
and agree with his decision to play in Miami. I know many are bristling right
now; any are stating that their old heroes of the game “didn’t have to switch
teams in order to win” or they “weren’t traitors to their teams…” Again times
are different and the AAU circuit has developed a travel mentality for players
that teaches them to find the strongest squad for the best chances to win leading
to the most exposure. And the fact is that the old timers that played on
championship teams (Bird, Magic, MJ, etc.) all had great players (Hall of Fame-bound)
around them already. DR.J was great (my favorite player) but yet didn’t win the
championship until he had the right teammates around him (namely one Moses
Malone.) Plus not long before LeBron’s decision to join the Heat, the Celtics
put together their “Big 3” and no one complained (at least not to the extent of
the with the Heat.)
Simply put LeBron made a decision based upon an age-old
principle: If you want to be a winner, hang around winners! And we see the
result: three straight trips to the finals and two championships…
And in spite of everything I wrote prior to that last
statement, someone is saying, “yeah, but he couldn’t do it on his own!” And for
the one saying that… you Sir, are absolutely right!
My meeting this morning was born out of a statement sent
to me that said, “Todd, you need to hitch your wagon to us.” In other words we
need to consider teaming together to win more. And the Scriptures are clear
that I, and you, need to avoid “hitching our wagons” to the wrong type of
people but should instead seek to “hitch” to those that are successfully
heading in the direction we are trying to go!
Do you want to be successful in your spiritual walk? Are
you following the age-old principle of surrounding yourself with spiritual
winners? Do you run with those who are running in a Biblical direction? Are you
“hitching your wagon” to those that have the same goals as you? Make the right
decisions on teammates!
Proverbs 2:20 Thus you will walk in the ways
of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous.
Proverbs 12:26 The righteous should choose
his friends carefully. For the way of the wicked leads them astray.
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