December 26, 2023 - Did You See What I Saw?

Did You See What I Saw? (Or Do You Hear What I Hear?) 

I love watching highlight reels of amazing plays… just this morning I watched a great pass fake from Luka Doncic leading to an easy bucket that made the opponent look silly… an amazing, high-flying dunk by Aaron Gordon that was titled “Poster for the Win!”… I love sharing those types of clips with my sports friends…

Recently I was at a college recruiting visit with my daughter Faith and we met a young lady on the team that had been in the number 1 spot on SportsCenter Top 10 list… the coach couldn’t wait to share that with us… and then I had to in turn pull it up and share it with Faith’s HS coaches… friends... family… etc.

The reality is that when something amazes us, we tend to share it with others… At times we watch players just waiting for highlights (i.e., every time Zion Williamson catches the basketball!)

This day after CHRISTmas, take a look at what took place right after the birth of Christ:

The shepherds, who had been given a promise from the angel about the Savior, ran to see the highlight and then the Scripture records: Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it MARVELED at those things which were told them by the shepherds. (Luke 2:17)

They couldn’t wait to share the highlight… then a short time later we hear of another who lived in anticipation of this highlight…

And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, WAITING FOR the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. (Luke 2:25-26)

This guy lived in anticipation of the highlight to come… and once He met the Savior he stated:

Lord, now you are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel. (Luke 2:29-32)

I don’t know how quickly Simeon passed away after this, but do know that he lived out his days in peace… which means confidence and secure in the Lord! And I can only assume that he, like the shepherds, shared this highlight with all he met…

Did you see what I saw? Have you seen the Savior… His birth, His life, His death, His resurrection… have you trusted in that for your salvation?

If so, shouldn’t that amaze you? And if it amazes you, isn’t that a highlight you should share with others? I mentioned that I share sports highlights with sports fans… yet this message, according to Simeon, is BEFORE THE FACE OF ALL PEOPLES.

Here are the lyrics to a great old hymn (and old-timers reading this, I dare you to try to read it without singing it… in parts…)

I Stand Amazed (How Marvelous)

Verse 1:
I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me,
a sinner, condemned, unclean.

Chorus:
How marvelous! How wonderful
And my song shall ever be
How marvelous! How wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me

Verse 2:
He took my sins and my sorrows,
He made them His very own
He bore the burden to Calvary,
And suffered and died alone

Verse 3:
When with the ransomed in glory
His face I at last shall see, ‘
Twill be my joy through the ages
To sing of His love for me

December 19, 2023 - The Amazing... Obvious... Number 1 Choice!

Obviously, if you have followed this blog for any length of time, you know I tend to fall back to the basketball world for what I draw from… this week will be no exception to the rule…

Even though we are young in the NBA season, there is already great talk of the bottom-feeder teams tanking to get a better shot at the next number 1 pick in the draft lottery… why? Because there is great expectation of the savior of a franchise… Victor Wembanyama… 7’4” tall… 18 yr old… incredibly skilled… the most talked about prospect since LeBron James finished high school. This kid, barring injury, os a game-changer and the only logical number 1 pick for whoever gets that right…

This kid seems to be destined for greatness and we will see the fans lined up in droves to welcome him to whatever franchise drafts him… they may even be waving palm branches!

I mention palm branches because of the great expectations Israel had for the “Coming King.” The palm leaves that were waved and laid on the ground for Jesus’ entrance entrance into Jerusalem at the end of His earthly life were signifying the expectation of victory or triumph. What they ignored was the humble way Jesus came to earth… through a simple teen age girl… with the only fanfare being that of the angels sharing “good tidings of great joy” that would be the “Savior”! (Luke 2:10-11) An announcement, not of extreme size or strength or power… not made to the movers and shakers of society… but one of a “babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes” (vs 12) that was introduced to lowly shepherds… a “Savior” that would eventually ride into Jerusalem, not on a stallion signifying victory and triumph, but on a donkey signifying peace… (which was the promise made to the shepherds… “on earth peace, good will toward men!” (vs 14)

This CHRISTmas season let’s remember lines from a song I have shared on here in the past… “Isn’t it amazing, the way He came… no crown, no throne, no big parade… there were no fanfares played, no jubilant display, isn’t it amazing how He came?”

One of the verses in the song says this: “Can’t believe that I would be the reason why He came… can’t believe He left His royal throne… He became a pauper, so that I could be a king… He denied Himself to make my heart His home!”

I love celebrating the number 1, and only viable, pick of God to be the Savior of the world… Happy Birthday Jesus!!!

December 12, 2022 - Green Thumb Coaching

What is the job of a coach?

The most obvious answer that people give would be to win ballgames… I’ve heard the sound bites over and over of coaches that were fired and said something along the lines of, “I was hired to win games.”

Vince Lombardi is often quoted as saying, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”

Yet, I have often shared one of my favorite quotes from Alonso Stagg, who after a good year of winning games was addressed by an exuberant reporter who what he thought of his team… to which Stagg replied that he would let him know in 20 years…

I love quotes like the following:

“Our emphasis is on execution, not winning.” Pat Summitt

“All coaching is, is taking a player where he can’t take himself.” Bill McCartney

“When people ask me if I miss coaching… the championships… the attention… the trophies… I tell them I miss the practices.” John Wooden

We all love to see an d experience victories, but there are so many variables to that… unexpected injuries… just an off night… the opponent is simply better… and life is that way…

It is hard to judge when determining success by wins vs losses… too many life variables come into play. That is why I really like Coach Summits quote about execution… what matters is not ultimately what the scoreboard says, but how are we handling the current situation.

As a coach… leader… parent… our job is to train in proper, God-honoring execution. We are to build up our players… employees… kids.

Ephesians 6:4 gives the admonition to fathers to “bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”

There is the “coaching” aspect… “training and admonition” has the idea of the total education of the child… (it is why we call our training leg of the ministry The Total Player Academy.) And the words “bring them up” carry the idea of nurturing or encouraging growth… Basically it is helping those under your guidance achieve their best! (I love how Galatians 6:9 even corrects how we serve as bosses and coaches… “giving up threatening”… but still in the vein of nurturing…

My view of coaching was to always try to put players in a position to help them reach the next level… this involved maybe playing them in a position more conducive to what they would play at the college level… or maybe benching them for a game, with an eye on lessons for when they are in the work force… BOTTOM LINE was always growth. Biblical leadership is about gardening!

GREEN THUMB COACHING!

 

December 5, 2022 - The Team Can Count On Me, Can It Count On You?

When you join a team, what do you expect? Do you simply look forward to seeing your name on the roster, or do you look forward to getting in the game?

When the coach puts you in the game, what do you expect? Do you simply want to stand on the court/filed so people can see you or do you look forward to scoring… or making a great pass… or getting a great block or tackle or hit…?

Often when we talk about or present salvation, we focus on the individual benefit of heaven vs hell… or we might mention our new found citizenship (team)… which by the way are amazing truths!!! Cue the song, “I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God - I’ve been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood! Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod, for I’m part of the family, the family of God.” (written by Bill and Gloria Gaither) Maybe we need to key not just on individual benefits of salvation, but also how it benefits the team…

But what does it mean to be “a part” as “we travel this sod”?

If you have followed these devotions for any length of time, you know that I love words… not just speaking or writing a lot of them… but breaking down the meaning…

The word “part” is the key one here… when you become a “part of the family of God” what do you expect? Yes, the word “part” indicates we become a portion of what makes up the whole of the “family of God” (Team Jesus) The word also means “the contribution made by someone or something to an action or situation.” (Online Oxford Languages)

So we we discuss being a part of something we should also discuss what contribution one is making… Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, had a similar thought:

2 Corinthians 6:1 We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

The challenge is to not waste the opportunity to play our part on the team… the word “vain” has the ideas of playing the game without effect…

Paul later, in verse 12, states, “You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.”

So if you are not making a difference in the game, it is not because the Coach is not putting you in or wanting to play you… it very well may be because your heart/passion (“affections”) is elsewhere… your head is not in the game…

I believe if you are reading this, you probably want to make a difference… I challenge you to consider your playmates and playgrounds (thanks Q for reminding me of that phrase) and if they are keeping you from playing your role… your part…

I am glad I am part of the family (team) of God… and I want you to know you can count on me to play my part… can we count on you to be a difference maker?