Hoops

Our family loves basketball. After Doug accepted Christ into his life, he decided to fully use the gifts God had given him to share basketball and Jesus with kids. He jumped out in faith and started his basketball academy, Shoot-It.

Every week Doug has the opportunity to teach kids about basketball.
How to dribble.
How to shoot.
How to avoid the defender.
How to be a good teammate.
How to live a life that puts Jesus at the front, and basketball at the second.

He makes his lesson plan just like I used to do when teaching kindergarten and he thinks about how every minute on the court with the kids will be used.

Lay up drills.
Ball handling skills
Chest passes, bounce passes, over the head passes.

Some kids are what we would call "naturals". It comes easy to them. They step in line, dribble around the cones, avoid the defender and make the shot look easy.
Other kids...well...there is a bit more work involved. As they attempt to make it around the orange cone, the ball goes off their foot or the shoelace trips them up and they don't quite make that three point shot.

Basketball is a team sport though. There have to be five players on the court for each team and I have heard Doug comment about some teams having a "deep bench". I have learned that means once the starters come out of the game, the kids on the bench can play just as well.

It has me thinking about my faith...this season of basketball.
My walk with Christ is somewhat like Doug's passion and teaching of the game of basketball...

We need to learn how to dribble: balance the balls of life, up and down, up and down, with a goal of getting the shot off in mind.
We need to learn how to shoot: this is that ability to actually release. To let go and let God. To have the courage to throw it up there, after time spent practicing, take aim, and let it go. Obedience really. Courage. Faith.
We need to learn how to avoid the defender: protect ourself with the word of God, with prayer, have an open, yet defensive stance, ready to move and change directions based on what is being shown to us.
We need to be a good teammate: while Christianity is all about a personal relationship with Christ, it was never meant to remain only personal. God wants us in the game, on the court, ready to share and love and show Him though our actions. He wants us to finish the game strong...never giving up or giving in. Walk alongside, high five and fistbump those in life who need it most.

Recently my son's AAU team was paired against a less skillful team in a tournament. About five minutes into the game it was very apparent this would go down in the books as a blow-out. My son's team was already up by quite a few points. Doug took the starters out of the game and as one of the boys came to the bench he said, "Hey coach, can we try to score 100 points on them?"

Now, there is some debate as to whether this is the right thing to do in this situation...run up the score on a less skillful team. But, that's not what I thought about when I heard this story. What came to my mind was this player's drive. His passion. His desire to hit a goal which often seems unattainable. He saw the 100 points within reach and wanted to get there...he wanted to give his all in this game. 

So the next time you have the opportunity to watch a game of basketball, think about your own walk with Christ. What skills need to be refined in your game? How many hours are you spending in patient, persistent, consistent practice? How often are you in the game rather than on the bench? And are you willing to go for the 100 points with all you have for Christ?

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

2 Timothy 4:7

Dear Lord,
 Help me spend time with you in the court of Christianity. Help me work on my skills of dribbling, shooting, avoiding the defender and being a good teammate. Give me the passion, drive and courage to simply shoot the ball, knowing you have fully equipped me. Give me the persistence to finish the game strong, no matter who or what the opponent. Bring me into the game for you Lord.