I remember as a kid how frustrated I would get when watching basketball games where the infamous “4-Corners Offense” or “4-Corners Stall” was utilized… As a coach I understand why it was used, as it allowed a team to control the game by reducing the opponent’s ability to utilize their strengths. (Wikipedia says this about 4-Corners: “The team running the offense typically would seek to score, BUT ONLY on extremely safe shots.”) A similar approach was when one team would be sitting back in a zone on defense and the offensive team would just stand out at the top of the key holding the ball until the defense changed. These were strategies (pre-shot clock) that gave teams a chance to win that were maybe undermanned… or were maybe weren’t great outside shooters and wanted to unclog the lane… YET, this was incredibly boring for the fans and for the players!!!
These were strategies that were instituted with one goal in mind, winning the current game they were in... possibly for the standings or to advance in a tournament. The scoreboard dictated the strategy. Now I know some old-timers are reading this and probably think the strategies were brilliant, (and I was a huge Dean Smith fan… I think he was a brilliant coach… and still didn’t like it when Carolina was running it.) I just didn’t feel like it allowed the players to grow and face the challenges of playing against better or bigger athletes.
In 1973, Tennessee defeated Temple 11-6, as Tennessee refused to come out of a zone and Temple held the ball for long periods of time… sounds exciting, doesn’t it? As recent as this past February in Oklahoma (where there is no shot clock for high school ball), a team chose to use the stalling approach and the game ending score was 4-2…
As a player and a fan, I love the action and skill of the game… even when my teams were facing far superior opponents, I wanted my players to get after it and feel proud when they lay their heads down at night! I wanted them to enjoy playing the game to the full…
Let me get to the point of this week’s game plan… I fear that often Christians treat the Great Commission and Great Commandment with a “4-Corners” mentality… only being willing to try to score when it is “extremely safe shots.” We stand in the corners avoiding contact with the other team
John 10:10a… The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…
Yes, I know we have an enemy we need to be aware of, BUT I don’t think we are ever told to STALL and not play the game… and here’s the deal, yes we face an enemy BUT we don’t have to worry about the score of the game… JESUS WINS!
John 10:10b… I have come that they may have life, and that they may have life more abundantly.
STOP PLAYING IT SAFE AND STANDING IN THE CORNERS AVOIDING
CONTACT WITH THE OTHER TEAM!!!
STOP PLAYING THE GAME ONLY LOOKING TO HEAVEN AND PLAY TO THE FULL HERE ON EARTH!!!
Jesus promised He makes playing the game more fulfilling…
more abundant!!!
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