God and Basketball

If you didn't know, I'm a Bible thumper. Yes the same people I used to make fun of or say that God was their crutch. Now I'm one of them. What's that have to do with Basketball? Remember the movie "love and basketball." We'll I think the movie was about the way basketball got in the way of a relationship, or was it, heck I can't remember. I just remember the title and for me God is first. So sub Love and God and it's the same title.

So a few weeks age I was at my Bible study and a verse came up, James 3:16. The verse is written, "For wherever there is jealosy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every kind of evil." What's that have to do with basketball? Perhaps I should be more helpful with officials, more prepared, a better leader. I sometime wonder if my vision for our unit is seen as personal ambition. Don't worry everytime I get full of myself, God humbles me. I don't have a personal ambition regarding our program, in fact the vision I have will most likely be completed after I'm gone. My Job is to prepare the next leader, and when that person reaches that vision, not be jealous.

I really do want to pray before our instruction begins, but I don't, at least not with the unit. When I pray I ask God to give me wisdom. I often fall short when I don't ask, when I do ask God for help I find that things come out of my mouth that I know no business saying because I'm not wise enough or smart enough to say "those words." One of my favorite books in the Bible is Proverbs, also known as the book of wisdom. It's one of my favorites because it is so clear when it comes to understanding wisdom. Here's one that has helped me this year, Proverbs 15:22, "Plans go wrong for lack of advise; many councelors bring success." One of the reasons I'm asking officials to apply to be instructors is because I want to be sure we find different experiences, a broader vision, not a tunnel vision.

Proverbs 18:2, "Fools have no intrest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions." I read that verse recently and wondered if I like the IC position for what it brings or for what I bring to it. Do I bring something that is worthy of God's praise or am I selfish. I've felt both ways. I recently had a conversation with an official who was disapointed with his rating. I shared some things with that person, but I don't believe that he went away with a sense of direction, only disapoinment. I wanted to help this young offical but in the end I felt at a loss. Wondering if I had helped at all. Had I been understanding, I wanted to, but it is he who will decide. What he shares about our conversation will determine if I helped him.

God Bless