“Basketball is my favorite sport, I like the way they dribble up and down the court… when, Willis Reed stood so tall, Playing D with desire, it’s basketball” (Kurtis Blow, Basketball)
I’m sure some of you old timers now have that song bouncing around your head...
It was the 1970 NBA Finals Game 7 between the New York Knicks and the Los Angles Lakers… Willis Reed had missed Game 6 due to a tear in his thigh muscle that happened in Game 5; stating later that he didn’t want to regret sitting out 20 years later, he suited up and made his way out to the court… to everyone’s shock, including the Lakers. Reed only scored 4 points and pulled just 3 rebounds, but harassed Wilt Chamberlain into many misses, as the Knicks went on to win.
I was thinking about when players choose to play hurt… (probably because my 16 yr. old daughter Faith dropped a 45lb plate on her foot in the gym Saturday night, breaking multiple toes; and when her older brother called to tell me about it, he didn’t say they were coming home… Instead, he said Faith wanted to stay and do upper body since she broke her toes…)
I LOVE it when players focus on what they can do… not on their limitations!
The Apostle Paul has a well-known story from his life where he states (in 2 Corinthians chapter 12) that he had prayed 3 times for the “thorn in his flesh” to be removed… and I LOVE what the Spirit prompts him to write in response to having to “play hurt”…
“Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities (weakness, illness, injuries), in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (12:10)
I don’t know what you are going through, but I do know there is still a “game to play” and we (the body [team] of Christ) NEED you on the court doing your part! Do what you can to Go MAD (Make A Difference) in someone’s life this week… don’t let your hurts stop you from being a help!
And by the way, when Willis Reed “stood so tall” in Game 7 on D, his teammate, Walt Frazier, picked up the scoring slack dropping 36 points and dishing out 19 assists. It is one of the most impressive Game 7 stat lines you will ever see, yet, overshadowed by the desire of the injured player that still suited up and gave his all.
Let’s concentrate on picking up the slack when our
brothers and sisters are hurt…
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