Every once in awhile sports transcends the game and teaches us some lessons about character. Sunday I talked about Armando Galarraga’s imperfect, perfect game and the grace with which he handled injustice (see the message, and the highlights, at www.twinoakschristian.com) The other big story last week was the passing of former UCLA basketball coach, John Wooden. Christianity Today reported:
Hall of Famer John Wooden, who died Friday just four months shy of his 100th birthday, was most known as the greatest coach who ever lived, leading UCLA’s men’s basketball team to 10 national championships, including an astonishing seven straight from 1967 to 1973, a stretch that included 88 consecutive victories.
That’s how he’s most remembered. But perhaps he’ll be best remembered as a mentor, a friend, a loving husband and father, and a source of endless wisdom and grace to hundreds of players, thousands of coaches, and millions of fans and admirers through the decades and around the world. Wooden has long said that his wisdom came primarily from two sources—his earthly father, Joshua Wooden, and from his heavenly Father.
Wooden, a devout Christian, read his Bible daily. His favorite passage was 1 Corinthians 13—truths he has especially embraced since the death of Nellie, his wife of 53 years, on March 21, 1985. In the 25 years since, Wooden has written a love letter to Nellie on the 21st of every month, stacking them on the pillow on which she slept through the five-plus decades of their marriage.
Coach Wooden offered many proverbs on life. One of my favorites was: “”Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
We’re in the middle of a series of messages looking at what it was in David’s character that made him “A man after God’s own heart”. This week’s we’ll be looking at his “PASSION for the Presence of God”. David’s character was forged in the time He spent with God. He was hungry for God’s presence. THIS SUNDAY I challenge you to be in church and let God use that time to shape your character. Come and experience His presence and let Him speak to you and touch your heart and direct your path. Another “Woodenism” was: “Material possessions, winning scores, and great reputations are meaningless in the eyes of the Lord, because He knows what we really are and that is all that matters.” God knows who you really are, and loves you anyway. But He also knows what He wants you to be. Come Sunday and let Him use that time to shape you into that person who captures His heart.
