Because my team knew I wanted them to aggressively go
after the ball, and due to being very amped up in the championship, the girls
started trying to get the ball when the other team was dribbling. You may be
wondering why that is a bad thing… well let the coach tell you.
On defense you can often hear coaches yelling for their
players to stop reaching or for them to move their feet. Aggressive players
tend to come along side opponents and reach in which most often results in
fouls being called. And that actually started happening in our tourney Saturday
and a couple of our better players got in foul trouble.
So I started being very deliberate with my words. I told
my girls that we “don’t play shoulder defense” but instead “it’s all about taking
one more step than the offense and beating them to the spot they want.” I told
them instead of running shoulder-to-shoulder they should “get in front and be
able to read her numbers.” Instead of just yelling for them to stop reaching I told
them to “stop trying to steal the ball and instead steal space”(meaning they
should beat them to the spot they want on the floor.) Players that are playing “shoulder
defense” and trying to steal the ball are giving effort but not playing smart; It
is all about positioning and effort!
Now let’s apply this principle to our Christian walks.
Can I urge us all to “stop reaching and instead be able to read their numbers”?
Again you may wonder what in the world I am talking about…
As the church we are very good at “reaching”; we reach
our hands to our wallets and to put money in offering plates… we may reach our
hand out our car window and give some money to someone in need…
Yet I want us to get in people’s space and be able to
read their numbers (actually look in people’s eyes.) We need to put ourselves
into people’s stories… feel their pain… Today We LIVE (Love Intentionally Value
Everyone)! We cannot do that unless we pay attention to being intentional!
Here is my Biblical support… and it all revolves around
one word in a command from Jesus… He intentionally used the word “into”… Check
it out:
Matthew 9:36-38
But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved
with compassion for them (are you moved with compassion for people), because
they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to
His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers INTO His harvest.”
I’m not saying that we shouldn’t reach into our pockets
or out our windows to help; to the contrary the Scripture does call us to reach
in that way (and ministries like InBounds that are support-based appreciate
that.) Yet that is not to be in place of the actual call that “laborers”
are those that actually go “INTO His
harvest.”
“STOP JUST REACHING! GET INTO PEOPLE”S SPACE!”
Today We LIVE!
Don’t just go alongside someone, actually get INTO people’s
lives!
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