Who is the most valuable player on a team? Is it the leader
in scoring? Rebounding? Steals? Assists? Or what about the player that sets the
most screens? Dives for the most loose balls?
Today in practice for my middle school girls team we were
playing a good old-fashioned game of “Backyard 21”; a game where tall players
have an advantage… a game where fast players can find some openings… a game
where intensity is a must. I got into the game in order to show ways to create
space to get through traps… or to carve out some room to get off one’s shot…
etc.
One of our youngest girls, (that also happens to be one
of our shortest players… that also is not near being our fastest player), decided
she was going to show me that even though she was lacking some of the attributes
to win the game of “21” she was not lacking intensity!
That girl started learning to really box out for
rebounds. Remember I said I had got into the game, and she decided it was me
that she would keep off the boards… and that she did. No, she didn’t get rebounds,
but neither did I.
I loved being able to point out that it was not about her
filling up the stat sheet with rebounds, but instead the fact that as an
opponent I didn’t, and in a game setting her teammates would have a better shot
at getting the boards.
The lesson for today is that being the most valuable is
based upon the moment and the job at hand! It is about doing the right thing because
it is the right thing! It is not about spotlights or awards or even being
noticed. (And not doing the right thing when we know it is right is sin! James
4:17)
Bill Hybels wrote in his book Who You Are When No One Is Looking: We all do our best when others
are watching. But what about when no one is looking? That's where character
comes in, giving us consistency when it's just between God and us. Courage,
discipline, vision, endurance, compassion, self-sacrifice, the qualities
covered in this Bible study guide provide a foundation for character. With this
foundation and God's guidance, we can maintain character even when we face
temptations and troubles.
Today: Win each moment by winning each decision… decide
to do right! Box out, even if you are not the one that will get the rebound!
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