We have been making some pretty extensive changes at our house this past year. A kitchen remodel is the big thing, but we've done something in just about every room. Just last week Arlene handed me some papers that she had put away for safe keeping but needed to be moved because of the changes. I thought I'd glance through them quickly before finding a new place for them, but I found myself unable to put them down once I started reading them. These were things I'd written over the last 25 years or so. Things I'd jotted down on napkins or receipts while eating breakfast by myself on the way to teach at Lynbrook . Notes to Arlene. Expressions of concerns for my two kids I'd put in the form of prayers. Some things made me cry, some laugh, while others reminded me of how faithful God has been.
On another paper Arlene had kept were notes for what I wanted to say for the devotions for our football game against Westmont High in 1993. That first year I coached at Valley I found myself taking part in each coach sharing before a game with the players. My turn came when we played Westmont . This was an especially meaningful devotion because the dads of the players came into the locker room to share in the pre-game activities. The thought I tried to express was that many people and a lot of kids don't know whether they're coming or going?. They have a lot of confusion about the past and no real direction for the future. I told those present that in John 13, it says that Jesus knew where He came from and where He was going. Here is the person who had it all together. Here is the leader who could say follow me and many would want to join His team. And what was His game plan? It was to show them that if they desired to be great they must be a servant of all. I had hoped that I could help those Valley players and their dads see that success and honors on the football field were nice if God granted them, but that each of them could and should choose to humble themselves and become a servant – to their teammates, parents, coaches, opponents - a servant of all.
As I read those notes again, I thought of all of you who take time to read these Words that I send out. I want to encourage you. It takes courage to be a Christian coach. Many coaches that you compete against will laugh at or question your values, attitudes and language if they see that it's a result of humbly coaching as Christ would have you coach. Our primary concern, however, should not be what other coaches, or even parents or spectators, think of our commitment to Christian standards, it must be how we are leading our players. Looking again at the story in John 13, Jesus says in verse 15, “I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you”. Jesus gives us, as our coach, a direct command: “Do as I have done to you”. In I Corinthians 11:1, Paul has the courage to say, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ”. As we lead as coaches, teachers, administrators, staff, or whatever we do here at Valley, I pray that the kids here may see us having the courage to humbly lead by following Christ. I'm glad Arlene saved those papers. They were a good reminder to me that I've made and even written down statements of faith in the past and that I need to confirm again my desire to follow the example of Christ - especially in my coaching. Does your coaching style - and mine - include Christ-like humility? I need to spend some time praying about this question as we start a new season and a new school year.
He humbled Himself and became obedient.
