I would have signed a pro contract for a cheeseburger and a coke. Really. At the end of my college career, I would have signed for nothing, just to have the chance to play in the minors. It never happened. I wasn’t drafted. I wasn’t contacted by Big League clubs for a tryout. In short, I was done. My career was over, and I knew it the moment I walked off the field after that final game. My dad and I shared tears that day. Not because I wasn’t going pro, but simply because it was over.
Despite the fact that my career ended before I wanted it to, I have no regrets. You see, I was told the truth by those closest to me, namely my dad, about what future I might have in the game as a player. It was the truth that set me free to pursue the college career I was blessed to experience.
Dad and I talked during my senior year of high school, the time colleges were recruiting me to play for them. He was honest, stating that my chances of making it to the Majors were slim and that I would be best served by going to a college where I could compete for a starting job all four years. That’s what I did.
We need people in our lives who will tell us the truth, even when at first we might not want to hear it.
Proverbs 14:5 tells us: “A faithful witness will not lie, but a false witness speaks lies” (NASB).
How many faithful witnesses do you have in your life? How many people simply tell you what you want to hear? You will never be the player, coach, parent, spouse, or person you could be if no one is honest with you.
I didn’t make it to the Big Leagues, but God has used my college career to open doors for the gospel of Christ in ways I could never have imagined. Much of that is due to my dad’s honesty.
Find people who are truthful, who don’t spin things, and surround yourself with them.
Here’s a prayer:
Heavenly Father, I need truth-tellers in my life. Surround me with them. Shape me through them. Make me wise and holy because of them. Amen.
