November 20, 2023 - The Design of the Game (Part 2: Play Fast or Play Slow...)

Last week I shared what I called part 1 of The Design of the Game… it had a byline of to “Attend with Attention!” Shortly after writing that Game Plan, I was listening to a podcast and the guest had played D1 hoops in college and followed it up with a stint as a Navy Seal… when asked for a great nugget of truth he shared that he had been challenged to “pay attention to what you are paying attention to.” This challenge is based off the studies that show we have up to 70,000 thoughts per day… that is the highest number I found… and the numbers varied greatly… BUT all of the “science” seemed to agree that for most people up to 95% of thoughts are simply repetitive… and typically 80% are negative… So the goal of paying attention is to get our minds to think on the right things!

Colossians 3:1-2 If then you were raised with Christ, SEEK those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. SET your minds on things above, not on things on the earth.

Last week we looked at the mental challenge to be attentive to our teammates! The idea the “game” is designed as a team sport… and I even emphasized that it is not a solo sport. This is true AND YET it is also true that there is a responsibility to pay attention to how we are playing as an individual. After all, the team is a make-up of individuals supplying their parts… The passage in Colossians I just cited gives a different challenge on our ATTENTION… one that says it does matter how you play the game as an individual…

I often hear people comparing styles of basketball teams/players… the arguments center around style. (I hear arguments about churches that center on the same thing… style.) In hoops some like teams/plaers that play fast… some prefer teams/players that shoot the three… some prefer a slowed down offense that pounds the ball into the paint. (In churches I hear the arguments of what type of music is played… on how casual vs formal people dress… etc.)

In the early 90’s a new “style” appeared in the marketplace… And1 Basketball emerged and was super exciting! BUT those players/teams were not only had a different style, they also played a different game… the basic foundational rules of the game were thrown out the window… there was no concern with travel or double dribble or carrying the ball. It was “streetball” not “basketball” But due to its popularity it melted into the actual basketball scene where often times today you hear old guys ruing the downfall of basketball…

I remember years ago when I was asked to co-direct a basketball clinic with an old time coach… as the bhoys were warming up in a lay-up line, this guys went off on them dribbling between their legs and doing finger-rolls; YET I loved it and encouraged it… when I train players I love to not only see, but encourage players to bring their personality and style to the court. BUT… the older coach and I were in agreement that in order to be successful in the game, this must be done without breaking the rules. (I could appreciate the old coach’s style… but he didn’t like mine at all!)

I could go on and on about these ideas… but in the idea of how the game is designed for the church as a whole and as individuals… I encourage that methodology can be ever-changing… but the message is never-changing!

The Apostle Paul wrote much about our freedom to play the game… and in doing so he also reminded us to pay attention to what we are paying attention to… in the verses of Colossians 3 that follow there is a challenge to the individual believer/player. The passage is not about style but instead about substance. It is a challenge/command to play the game the way it was designed to be played!

Galatians 5:13a For you, brethren, have been called to liberty (freedom); THIS IS A STYLE STATEMENT… PLAY THE GAME FREE!

Galatians 5:13b only do not use liberty (freedom) as an opportunity for the flesh…; THIS IS A SUBSTANCE STATEMENT… WE ARE STILL DESIGNED TO HONOR THE RULES OF THE GAME!

Play fast or play slow… let the shots fly from deep or pound it to the post… dribble between your legs or stay very basic… but do these things without traveling, double dribbling, carrying the ball… fouling… etc. Play the game the way it was designed to be played!