I've always been a sports fan. I could watch any sport, college or pro and get totally lost in the game. Right now, March Madness is happening. The time of year all college basketball teams fight for the right to play for the national championship of college basketball. This is my favorite time of year these 3 weeks of watching endless games. I am a self confessed basketball junkie when it comes to the NCAA tournament. It intrigues me so much to watch how these young men play at such a high level and under so much pressure. These are the times when leaders are made and followers follow.
Having said that, an interesting thing came to my mind as I watched one of the games tonight, the Memphis vs. Texas A&M game. Toward the end of the game, one of the players for
Texas A&M drove around his defender and got to the basket for a seemingly easy layup. One of the Memphis big guys went to block the shot, but had no choice but to foul, which was the foul that took him out of the game. As I watched this young man after being disqualified, he had two emotional choices to make. He could choose to step up and lead by cheering on his team and encouraging them to play harder and fight to the finish; or he could complain about (and to) his teammate who let his man get around him which made him committ the foul. I watched this young man pout and berate his teammate for not defending properly, which caused him to foul out of the game. Obviously this player has some maturing to do. He came to his leadership crossroads and chose the wrong route.
How many leadership crossroads in pressure time do we face as Christ followers? Simon Peter faced his crossroads many times. The most famous is his denial of Jesus. Though he failed miserably, and felt like he should crawl away and give up, God used this as a teaching moment to help Peter grow in spiritual maturity Jesus later restored him as leader of the disciples, and the rock upon who Jesus built His church.
Jesus, in the same way had leadership crossroads to face as well. He was a leader of 12 men who constantly challenged his patience because of their spiritual immaturity and lack of faith. Many times He could have pouted or berated them for their lack of faith and understanding of what He was trying to teach them. He could have easily given up on them and gone on to someone else who would understand what He wanted to accomplish. What did He do? He encouraged them on. He cheered them on. At times He did rebuke, but used the moment to lead and teach to help them grow. He used their mistakes as stepping stones toward growing them spiritually. Jesus stepped up to the leadership role God had planned for Him.
What leadership crossroads have we come up on in our lives? What opportunities will God present to us to step into a leadership role?
Just a rambling thought and observation from a March Madness junkie!
Having said that, an interesting thing came to my mind as I watched one of the games tonight, the Memphis vs. Texas A&M game. Toward the end of the game, one of the players for
Texas A&M drove around his defender and got to the basket for a seemingly easy layup. One of the Memphis big guys went to block the shot, but had no choice but to foul, which was the foul that took him out of the game. As I watched this young man after being disqualified, he had two emotional choices to make. He could choose to step up and lead by cheering on his team and encouraging them to play harder and fight to the finish; or he could complain about (and to) his teammate who let his man get around him which made him committ the foul. I watched this young man pout and berate his teammate for not defending properly, which caused him to foul out of the game. Obviously this player has some maturing to do. He came to his leadership crossroads and chose the wrong route.
How many leadership crossroads in pressure time do we face as Christ followers? Simon Peter faced his crossroads many times. The most famous is his denial of Jesus. Though he failed miserably, and felt like he should crawl away and give up, God used this as a teaching moment to help Peter grow in spiritual maturity Jesus later restored him as leader of the disciples, and the rock upon who Jesus built His church.
Jesus, in the same way had leadership crossroads to face as well. He was a leader of 12 men who constantly challenged his patience because of their spiritual immaturity and lack of faith. Many times He could have pouted or berated them for their lack of faith and understanding of what He was trying to teach them. He could have easily given up on them and gone on to someone else who would understand what He wanted to accomplish. What did He do? He encouraged them on. He cheered them on. At times He did rebuke, but used the moment to lead and teach to help them grow. He used their mistakes as stepping stones toward growing them spiritually. Jesus stepped up to the leadership role God had planned for Him.
What leadership crossroads have we come up on in our lives? What opportunities will God present to us to step into a leadership role?
Just a rambling thought and observation from a March Madness junkie!
4 comments:
SAM, as one who has been there, doing that, enjoy your last March Madness for 3-4 years!
Blessings!
Nomad,
I know, I will miss that, football season, NBA. This is the part of my life I am laying down! Thanks for the comment! Enjoy stateside.
SAM
SAM I have thought a bunch about the Lord's approach with the disciples. More then anything I am struck with his patience. He just kept moving forward with them. It almost seemed that He ignored much of their stupidly. He kept planting the seed, and moving on trusting the Father to make the seed grow. I don't see Him doing much arguing with them or even much correcting. He just states the truth and then leaves them to figure it out. He prayed for them so much.
I marvel at His patience. Even in Act 1 the disciples’ hadn’t gotten it.
It is so encouraging for me as I work with those who are so slow to grow that Jesus also had to wait patiently for the harvest to ripen.
Darrell- great to hear that God is moving. Sometimes He lets us flounder on our own, since He gave us free will. When we realize the things WE want aren't working, the things OTHER people want don't work, what's left? God's will. We don't always hit the center of it, but if we are flowing the same direction of His will, that is enough to get us going. This shows us all how patient He is with all of us. Thanks for the update. I'll continue to pray.
SAM
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