January 20, 2012
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A Lesson from Paul.
I knew when I took on coaching it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. I knew it or at least I told myself I knew it. But you know how you say something over and over again, knowing it’s the right thing to say yet hoping you’re wrong. Secretly hoping the gun is shot and you come out of the gates like you’ve been doing it for years. Or maybe I’m the only one.
As a coach, I don’t measure my success by my team’s record. If I was you reading this, I would think you’re only saying that because you have yet to win a game. Touché. Except I’m honestly not just saying it. I’ve been out of highschool 6 years and I couldn’t tell you the records of our team throughout HS. They weren’t winning seasons. If I remember correctly, all my years on Varsity, we only had one season over .500. Yet, I absolutely loved playing and it wasn’t because of our record.
At the beginning of the season, I told the team are focus is on 3 things, in this order.
God.
Teammates.
Basketball.
If I failed them in the first two and we had a great record, I still would have done them an injustice as their coach. The day I stop believing that is the day I should no longer be coaching. Feel free to hold me to that.
The first part of my coaching career was completely overwhelming with learning about players, personalities, strengths, weaknesses, establishing credibility, stat sheets, schedules, meeting with parents, researching plays and drills, planning practices, focusing on attitudes, participation, etc. After a pretty frustrating beginning, we had a much needed week or so off. I needed to revamp and collect myself and so did they. I came back with a more settled mind and ready to change things. And it happened. If you know me at all, when I invest in something or someone, it’s not a small deal. I take it on and I take it on with all that I am because that’s who I am. I don’t do a good job at half-heartedly investing or drive-by investments, nor do I think that is something we should pride ourselves in. Which is where a lot of frustration comes in when you continually invest and get no results. It’s difficult. Yet, I need to remember I’m not the one responsible for results. God will handle that. Thankfully.
The above was written before I received my BSF lesson and once I started in, I couldn’t help but see the correlation between 1 Thessalonians and this post. I love Paul. I know that’s incredibly stereotypical to love Paul. Every loves him. He’s the man. His commitment to God is nothing but incredible. A man who was imprisoned, beaten, shipwrecked, lashed 5 times one less than what would have killed a person, attacked from every angle and yet, he boasted in his weaknesses because it showed the glory of God (2 Cor. 11:21-33) and refers to himself as a bond-servant of Jesus Christ – he understands his role. An example to say the least.
Paul’s passion in life was largely driven by concern for the eternal destiny of others. In 2 Corinthians 5, he names three things that fueled his passion. First, he recognized that he was accountable to Christ for his service and wanted to give a good accounting at the judgment seat of Christ (vv.9-10). Second, Paul was driven by Christ’s love and a desire that others would know the love that he had experienced. In verse 14 he wrote, For the love of Christ compels us. Finally, he understood that a lost and dying world desperately needs the Savior (v.20).
As I began to read 1 Thessalonians, his passion and fervor for others to know the gospel is obviously the forefront of his mind (in Thessalonians and any other letters he wrote). Just as a nursing mother cares for her children or a father deals with his own children is how deeply Paul cares. How deeply he invests. You simply can’t fake that. And that’s how it should be.
Paul was placed in leadership by his Father and he understood the humble role. It wasn’t easy and didn’t always show results, but he served His people faithfully and passionately despite persecution, failure, and defeat. He kept pressing on because He was confidently backed by his Father. “He deliberately sought to speak for God, refused to flatter, and did not seek or want praise from people.” (a stolen quote from BSF notes)
What is more, Paul considered everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus his Lord, for whose sake he lost all things and considered them rubbish, that he may gain Christ. Phil. 3:8
Now that’s a lifestyle to model after. To live like. To coach like. In a strange way, I’m encouraged knowing I will never fill those shoes and will always have something to continually aspire to be. More Paul-like but more importantly, Christ-like. After all that’s who Paul modeled his life after isn’t it.
