Once upon a time, there was a team. A really good team. Really good. They were highly ranked and had loads of talent. In fact, they were the odds-on favorite to win it all. They reeled off a long string of victories to start the season and all seemed well.
Except, this team’s early success masked what was going on behind the scenes.
Although they won, their work ethic waned and their selfishness grew. Factions formed within the team as players became jealous of one another and resistant to coaching. They refused to work on the little things and instead believed they couldn’t lose, no matter who they faced.
As you can guess, it cost them. They lost early in the postseason, a loss they pinned on bad coaching. But, for those who knew this team, the loss was inevitable. It was the direct result of a refusal to take a long-term approach, be coachable, listen to wisdom, and practice and play with humility.
Proverbs 1:18 “But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.”
The people mentioned in Proverbs 1 show that this sort of attitude is not new, nor is it unusual. Those who are resistant to instruction, who are proud, who believe they know it all, who conspire against those who would teach them…these are the ones who eventually learn, but only the hard way.
Obviously, this has implications for you as a player, parent, or coach. You can see that already.
But, the most important implications are for you as a person. Have you humbled yourself before God, yielding to his instruction and wisdom? Or, do you consider all of that below you, foolish and unnecessary? My prayer for you is that you’ll throw your lot in with God completely, and that you’ll never have to learn the hard way that God is who he says he is and you are accountable to him.
Don’t ambush your own life. Let Jesus take hold of you today.
Lord Jesus, I don’t want to sacrifice the permanent at the altar of the immediate. I give it all to you today. I believe in you, in who you are and what you’ve done for me. I believe you are my only hope for forgiveness and salvation. I love you. Amen.
