February 15, 2021 - Be Ready (Be Intentional)

“Be ready!”

When coaching basketball, one of the key things I try to emphasize in being in a ready position… I teach being in the right position to catch the ball… the right position to take the shot… the right position on the floor for a good shot… etc. The reason is that many times players are just running around and not necessarily putting themselves in an effective position/place to score.

This can be a simple adjustment… for instance, when I watch games/practices I often see players catch a ball on a fast break at a bad angle to finish the shot. That can be adjusted by learning to make straight cuts to the block instead of looping cuts to the baseline… thus leaving an angle to use the backboard.

My point is that the most effective players are intentional about being in a ready position…

Most Christians are willing to share their faith but not intentional about it. Most spend their lives making “looping cuts” that are not designed to put oneself in the best position to score.

My question/charge this week concerns your intentionality in the Gospel (the way we “score” as Christians)… Not only are you making direct cuts to opportunities to share the Gospel, but also are you “making the pass” (giving) to “teammates” that are truly in position to “score”?

The Apostle Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:1-2 - I charge you therefore before God… PREACH the WORD! BE READY in SEASON and OUT of SEASON.

The word “preach” is a word in the Greek that means be a herald… a proclaimer of what has been done… used of the public proclamation of the Gospel… as with guys like John the Baptist…

The word  “season” is used in our sports world for periods of time designed for games… but in the Greek it is not just about an extended period of time or series of events but can also mean for every OPPORTUNITY… thus not only the ones that are obvious, but also intentionally creating opportunities (out of season)! These verses are Paul coaching Timothy (and us) to “make straight cuts” to opportunities to share the Word… to proclaim the Gospel!