A Proud Coach Asks More of His Team

I coach an 8th grade boys' basketball team. I'm not a great coach by any means but my boys are a great team. They work so hard without complaining. I have tremendous respect for them. I can't help respecting them because they are incredibly hard workers. They are also very talented. When I think of talented teams I think of the Lakers with Kobe and Shaq, Karl Malone and Gary Payton - extremely talented but not hard workers, and not a team. The Pistons, without an all-star, with hard work, beat that Lakers team in the NBA finals two years ago. But my team has talent and hard work, and they play as a team.

Today one of my reserve players who generally doesn't get a lot of playing time made an incredible shot at the end of the game. One of my best players ran out and made a big deal about the incredible shot. I'm so proud of how they work as a team, how they work to overcome challenges, and how classy they've been. They are also a ton of fun to hang out with. I'm an old fart who is somewhat demanding in basketball practices, yet they seem to enjoy having me talk to them and joke around with them.

There is something inspiring about watching people work very hard at something. I'm so glad they've embraced the ideal of hard work without complaining and without quitting. These guys are going to go somewhere in life. Watch out!

Having said all that, there is one thing which is far more important than any of this. When they stand before God to give an account of their lives, to whom will their hearts belong? I'm truly happy to have such a great basketball season and to be able to be a part of their lives. But what I really want is for each of them to know how much God really loves them, and to respond to that love by loving God with all their hearts. Basketball is a great sport and hard work is such a great part of human character, but none of that matters if their hearts do not belong to God. Nothing really matters unless our hearts belong to God.

You may be the most successful person in whatever field you are in but it does not matter one bit unless your life is in God's hands. Apart from God, anything we commit our lives to is meaningless and a big waste of time. Apart from God, there is no point in anything. Apart from God, winning basketball games take on much greater importance because it gives us something to focus on instead of the emptiness of meaningless existence.

To my boys who take the time to read this: you guys are awesome not because you're so sweet at basketball, but because of who you are - sons of God. You're also awesome because you are truly wonderful human beings that I care for and enjoy very much. Choose Jesus and get to know him as much as you've worked at getting to know basketball this season. When you get knocked over by sin and by your weaknesses and your flaws, get back up and live your lives with purpose; as sons of God.

P on 3!

Criminal Justice and Other Stuff

This morning I heard a commercial for a company that specializes in career training. The commercial stated that "criminal justice is one of the fastest growning careers in the United States." I thought this was a sad and frightening statement. Why is everyone going to jail? I pray that I never go there.

I recently saw a "stand-up comedy act" where a famous "comedian" (I didn't find him very funny) made fun of everyone who has religious beliefs. It was clear that not only was he an athiest but he is angry with those of us who believe. Why so angry? I am not angered by his lack of belief. I pray that he will believe someday but there's no need to be angry over what people believe. He was basically saying that anyone who believed in God or the Bible are complete fools. While I support his right to decide that for himself, he cannot make that decision for others. We all need to decide this for ourselves.

If one chooses to believe in God it should affect the way one lives his life. If it has no impact on his life, then his belief is no different than the devil's belief. The devil believes in God more than any of us do since he has seen and spoken to God. To believe in God should result in a love for God. To believe in God should result in total surrender of our lives to God. Treating God like an encyclopedic fact (division is one of the four functions of mathematics) and nothing more is not faith, and does very little good.

Pneumonia

I somehow managed to get pneumonia. Its not as bad as I imagined it would be but its definitely the most unpleasant struggle of my life. I've been off work all week and I really miss my students. I'm sure they don't miss me all that much but that's ok. I definitely miss them. I miss sharing the love of Christ with them each day. I miss their humor and their personalities. Oh well, hopefully I'll be back soon.

I did go coach the other day. That was tough for me. I was drained by the time I arrived. We had to set up for the game. The younger team had to play first. Then it was our turn. Our team is 5-0 now. We won our game the other night. It has been a lot of fun watching them grow as a team. They began the season as a very impatient, emotional team that found way too many ways to throw bad passes or to take the wrong shots at the wrong times. They have grown patient and more emotionally mature (in a game sense), and have learned to pass the ball well and to take smart shots. They are a really good team. Its a lot of fun.

More importantly than that, they are good kids. I try really hard to reach them, to get through to them and let them know that I really care about them as people, not just as basketball players. But I don't think they either get it or they don't really care. I struggle with the temptation to give up when people don't care about things. I feel useless and worthless. But that's just how I feel. What I know is quite different. What I know is that it doesn't matter if they care, or even if I care. What matters is that God cares. What I know is that with God all things are possible. What I know is that even if I am right and they don't really care, they are such awesome people that they are definitely worth the effort and the prayers. They are great kids with great hearts and with great futures. I just wish that for once, I could make a difference and affect the lives of people for good, and for God.

I don't just feel this way about my basketball team. I feel this way about all my students, all my friends, and all the people I know. God please let me see how I can affect those I know. Please let me make a difference. Please allow my life to be useful. I'm sick and can't do much, but I can pray. So I pray for every person I know. Please draw them to yourself. Please address their doubts and restore faith. Please bring light where there is confusion. Please bring them encouragement and peace to those who are troubled and heartbroken. Please awaken those who are asleep and don't realize that they were born into a battle, not a game. Please heal the blindness that prevents us from seeing our sinfulness and our need of you. Please get us home to You in Heaven safely. Please.