I once had a player on my team who had received many pre-season accolades from various publications. It wasn’t long before he started believing all that was written about him. He thought that he was already “good enough” and really didn’t need to work as hard as his teammates. One particular day he was giving a poor effort in practice. I called him in the dugout and asked him, “Who gave you the gifts you have…the way you run, throw and and your hand-eye coordination?” He looked at me with a curious look and finally said, “God.” I then ask him, “Do you think God is pleased in the way you are using the gifts He gave to you?” Thankfully, after that short meeting, this player’s attitude and effort improved.
We all need to be reminded that “every good and perfect gift comes from above…” (James 1:17)
“For what makes you different than anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Corinthians 4:7)
Keith Madison
SCORE International
