Man did I love playing the game of basketball! As I was driving today (while on a speaking tour) I was thinking about different ideas for this week’s game plan… I had spent Saturday with some high school and middle school aged basketball players and then got to hang out with some old buddies I used to play hoops with… I guess I got kind of nostalgic and while driving flashed back a bit to my high school days.
The reality is that our team was not very good in those years… in my freshman year we had some success, but even though I was able to dress varsity, the rest of the team were juniors and seniors; so the reality is that as far wins and losses that year, the most I could claim is that maybe I helped prepare our guys in practices… but then my final three years of high school I stepped into a starting role and was the leading scorer each of those years on a losing team… we not only had more losses than wins, some of the losses were absolute blowouts that would embarrass many. Many times, I even played hurt… BUT I LOVED PLAYING…
I still to this day will often say, “If I lace them (my shoes) up, I’m gonna try to beat you!” I was always happy if we won but was joyful just to get to play. Notice I didn’t say “I will beat you,” I said “I’m gonna try…” My joy was/is found in playing and competing hard, not in scoreboards!
I preach/teach often about the apostle Paul and his wild outlook on life… even from prison chains he penned an entire letter centered on the theme of joy… he often talked of the people in the churches being his joy… he was “competing” for the opportunities to serve and to share and that superseded his freedom… superseded his circumstances… superseded his comforts…
And of course, there is the example of Jesus, “who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame…” (Hebrews 12:2)
We are told often to have joy… to rejoice… and these are not commands about circumstances but about opportunities and growth! James 1 tells us to be joyful in even in our trials… It is easy to get caught up in judging God’s goodness, or even questioning His existence, based upon the scoreboard (circumstances) in our life. Which means we have taken our eyes off of the opportunities to serve and to share.
When it gets really hard just remember to “…consider Him
who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary
and discouraged in your souls.” Hebrews 12:3
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