Book Reflection

Two weeks ago I finished a 700-page book on the Association. That's right...700 pages. Hours spent reading about the career of Dolph Shayes, Elgin Baylor, Tracy McGrady and about a hundred others. Obviously, this was just reading for entertainment, but I also tried to tell myself it could have gospel impact. Perhaps the style of writing, or an anecdote or just the relaxation will enhance my ministry, I told myself. By page 35 or so, I realized that was simply entertainment, and there was no reason to attempt to whitewash it.

For a 700-page book, it read relatively easy. I finished the book thinking, Well, that was fun, but did not seek to bring any real meaning out of it. After all, it's a book about a game I love to play (but am lousy), and enjoy watching (but since we don't have cable I rarely ever see). Surprisingly though, I started mulling over various thoughts, which I think were remotely related to the book.

Foul language is overrated. One reason I am not specifically referencing the book is because I know the language would be offensive to many who read my blog (It was to me, as well). I guess offensive is not the right word, I would not expect an unbeliever to act any different. The greater issue I saw was just how completely unnecessary the language was. There is a temptation, especially around men my age, to justify crude language as authenticity. It just simply isn't the case. Foul language does not display authenticity unless you're wanting to declare to people you are authentically immature. Often times, the author conveyed his emotions far more clearly and robustly in sections where he did not see the need to swear, than in some where he did. It didn't enhance his writing, nor did it make his point. Sadly, some ministers today want to advocate coarse language as a means of engaging the culture...it just doesn't have to be.

Writing about others is tricky. It is no secret that the author of the book respects Isiah Thomas the player, but not Isiah Thomas the GM/coach/front office guy. In fact, he has spoken so critically of Thomas that at one point--while Thomas was coaching/GM of the New York Knicks--Thomas told a radio host he would physically harm the author if they ever met face tot face. Well, early in the book he recounts the time he was introduced to Thomas by another member of the media. While still holding to his opinions, he also (obviously) softened his stance somewhat, and became a bit more empathetic. Certainly a humbling and awkward situation. (You can read about my crow-eating-humbling-lesson here.) However, the author continues to write about people in such a way that I couldn't help but think of athletes and coaches who may read it. As I read, I kept thinking He could have a lot of awkward occasions in his future! The author regularly critiqued in a such a blunt form, that I am sure would have to be softened when would meet an athlete. Then I thought about myself. How often can I critique apart from considering motive? This does not mean something becomes right simply because someone had good intentions...poor theology and practice remains poor theology and practice. But, it did cause me to ask, Can I point error out in such a way that the person would be willing to converse with me without having to diffuse the situation? Sometimes, this is out of our control; a person will be offended either way. But I could do a better job of not contributing to the raised emotions.

Facts/stats do not necessarily reduce subjectivity. I enjoy this author because he is a fan of specific teams and does not try to cloak his views. He hates certain teams simply because he loves others. I enjoy this style far more than the starched collar professional journalist view who treats games with the same gravity and seriousness as terrorism. I want to read from a guy who jumps off his couch at the end of a game because he's thrilled, not a guy who simply reports the game as an event. However, this book was different for the author tried to be objective. At times, he acknowledges that he is not being objective, yet he still underestimates how often subjectivity permeates his work. He attempts to buoy his views with statistics. However, numbers may not lie but the same numbers can be used to make opposing points. It convicted me to remember that "facts" do not always get to the heart...for they can be spun however a person desires. If a person wants to toy with the facts, there is no reasoning with them. At times, this can even happen with Scripture, a person will distort and twist a Text to say the opposite of what is intended. I was reminded: a) to call out to God that He would protect me from myself and my fleshly tendency to distort Texts to my gain; and b) to not join a person in the game when they choose to defiantly distort a Text just to keep from doing what they know they need to do. Sure, an undershepherd is to teach and help show people error. However, when a person is clearly willing to sacrifice the integrity of the Scripture to defend their actions (rather than sacrificing their actions to defend the integrity of Scripture), there is no reasoning with them.

I enjoy books that feed my soul. Reading this book also made me realize how much I cherish reading books that not only feed my mind, but my soul as well. Nearly every book I read is ministry related, and some could see that as reading for work, rather than reading for pleasure. However, when you enjoy your "work reading" then it really is reading for pleasure too! Time is short. I'm not making a commitment that I'll never again read something just for the sake of entertainment (such a commitment would be a foolish endeavor), but for now I'm content to just get back to the pile of books I've been thinking I need to read. And I'll thank God for the grace that it isn't just work, but I enjoy it.

I am not advocating an "all truth is God's truth" sort of view that would claim Christian thinking is revealed in a book even when it wasn't the author's intention. No, there is no Christian agenda to this book. Sanctification does not come from reading anything, but ultimately from reading Scripture. I'm thankful to God for His Word and was also reminded that just as I had to be in the Word to truly grow while reading an NBA book, I better be in the Word to grow even while reading Christian words from a ministry-minded book. Sanctification comes from the Truth, and His Word is Truth. Whatever you may be reading, make sure it doesn't supplant your time in the Word!

Can You Call It a Rivalry Anymore?

A friend sent me this via email:

The last time the team up north defeated the Buckeyes in football:

--Saddam Hussein was still at large.

--Theatergoers anxiously awaited the release of "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King", one month later.

--“Elf” was the top film that weekend.

--The European Union had 15 members instead of 27.

--Barack Obama was in the Illinois state legislature, and Sarah Palin was the chairperson of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.

--LeBron James had been playing pro basketball for three weeks.

--The two defending NFL conference champions were the Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

--New episodes of “Friends” were being aired.

--Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan were still alive.

--Tyrone Willingham had another year at Notre Dame.

--Urban Meyer was in his first year coaching... at Utah.

--Terrelle Pryor was in middle school.

--Rich Rodriguez would be the Big East Coach of the Year.

--Notre Dame was on a 40-year winning streak against Navy.

--Michigan had the longest active streak of bowl game appearances.

--No Michigan team had ever lost more than seven games in a season.

--No Michigan team had failed to win back-to-back games at least once in a season since 1962.

--Every fifth year senior had left Michigan with at least one win against OSU.

And finally...

--The last time Michigan beat Ohio State was November 22, 2003. Nine weeks later, Facebook was founded.

Piper Bowling?

Just so you know the level of therapy I need, every time I see this picture:





I think the tiny "twitter picture" actually looks like this:

Your Star is at Home!

Sporting News Magazine* provides a Profile Page (What you won't find on Facebook...even if you are approved as a friend, they claim) in each print magazine as well as in their daily e-zine. It's usually an interesting way to peek into the lives of a professional athlete and find out some of the daily things they do. They ask all kinds of things about favorite movies and music, to what's on your walls or what do you least like about yourself. Many of the answers say very little, but in each issue, there is usually an answer or two that provides a little bit of unique insight.

However, one question usually leaves me disappointed: Dream Date

I'm amazed how many of these athletes will mention they have a wife and kids, and then will turn right around and mention some celebrity as their dream date. (An ink covered transforming lady seems to be the choice du jour.) Occasionally, a person will choose a celebrity and then name a feature other than appearance as their motivation, but even that is usually rather weak (Such as, "Miss USA, because I'd like to hear how she really plans to accomplish world peace through winning her crown.") Their motivation is almost always visual, make that lustful, and the concept of it being a dream date clearly suggests an evening alone together...I don't need to say more.


This has been bothering me for a while, and then I see today's feature (note, this article is written days before it is published on my blog...it is not actually today's). In this feature, the athlete gives the following answers:

Status: Married
What I'm reading: Bible and Facing Your Giants by Max Lucado (He lists his Bible as part of his game day superstition too, but that's for another post.)
Dream Date: My wife, I'm living the dream

I was thrilled to read his answer so I went ahead and read the rest of his profile. Unfortunately, he also stated:

Love to trade places for a day with... Jay-Z, so I could kick it with Beyonce. My wife understands. LOL.

Beloved, it just does not make sense to play these sort of games. Surely, this man probably thinks this is a harmless exercise, for what are the odds Beyonce is ever going to come knocking on his door? However, the battle does not begin when he's unexpectedly approached by the starlet, the battle is already lost when the man allowed himself to entertain thoughts about someone other than his own wife.

"You have heard that it was said, `YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY'; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.--Matthew 5:27-28

It may seem like harmless fun, but the battle for purity requires a steadfast devotion. (Check out the verses which immediately follow to see this point!) And remember, the standard is not for you to avoid intercourse with some other woman, your call is to model Christ's love for the church.

Seriously, can you ever imagine the Savior playing whimsical games of fantasy about another bride. (And remember, His devotion is not based upon the Bride's faithfulness, for if it were, Christ would have a valid excuse to look elsewhere.) No, Christ's love is an exclusive, faithful, jealous love. He will not entertain even the slightest fancy, but remains wholly focused and devoted to His bride.

If you've fallen into this unfaithful trap, what is a person to do to get out?

1. Focus on the Love of Christ. Meditate of passages like Ephesians 5:22-33. Then act upon it. Confess your unfaithfulness to the Lord and rest in the forgiveness granted you by the work of Christ on the cross. Repent of your unfaithfulness and ask God to develop in you a heart which is faithful unto Him and your spouse.

2. Begin speaking of your spouse as your dream date. Ah, you say, that's hypocritical if I don't really mean it. Actually, the hypocrite is one who knows what he ought to do but claims self-righteous reasons for not obeying. Instead, speak and act with the faithfulness you know your spouse deserves. You'll be amazed that as you quit entertaining these unfaithful lusts, the battle will actually diminish and you will see your spouse as your Dream Date.

3. Confess to your spouse. If you've ever played a stupid "List of 5 celebrities you'd be allowed to cheat on me for" type game (or any variant) with your spouse, you should confess that as sinful and wrong. If you ever playfully speak of another person as being a temptation you would not be able to resist, that is sinful and should be confessed. You begin the process of being faithful to your spouse when you confess the ways in which you have not and allow your spouse to know that by God's grace, you are turning from those ways.

4. Quit viewing that celebrity for a period of time. Even the celebrity is one made in God's image, so with growth, you should be able to sit at a table and talk with the person without thinking lustful thoughts. However, if you've entertained impure thoughts about someone for a period of time, and it is now difficult to think/see the person without naturally going to the impure, quit looking for a period of time. Are you really going to claim your "right/freedom" to entertainment over your desire to be faithful to your spouse and Savior? Be smart. Give your heart a break for a while while you work on refocussing your affections where they belong.

For it's not enough that your spouse become your dream date, but God is glorified when you see your spouse as a gift from God that exceeds your dreams!

Costly Credit

One final thought when it comes to the world of sports, postgame interviews and our chance to exalt Christ.

It's going to cost you.

Though I doubt he perfectly nailed it every time, I always enjoyed hearing Charlie Ward share after a game. Though an incredible athlete (a Heisman trophy winner and NBA basketball player who was also drafted by two MLB teams), Ward regularly turned the attention to the gospel. His statements made it clear the gospel was his first love.

I remember one year the Knicks were making a deep run into the playoffs. In the midst of this, a New York reporter chose to sit in on a Bible study some members of the team enjoyed. In the study, Ward made a comment that the Jews rejected their Messiah and had Him killed. The reporter wrote his article, declaring Ward an anti-semite and had the whole city in a tizzy. Much was made during the game of Ward's comment, with announcers even wondering if his comments would hurt team chemistry. Though never an All-Star (on a cast of all-stars), Ward hit several key threes to seal a victory. At the end of the game, a reporter grabbed Charlie and immediately asked about the game, the controversial week, and whether Ward regretted his statements. Skillfully, Charlie simply stated his love and devotion for the Lord Jesus Christ for the salvation He provided him. It truly was one of my favorite "sports moments."

As much as I love Charlie Ward (and I'm a Pistons fan!), I'm not going to claim his loyalty to Christ cut his career short. (I think the real reason was knee cartilage.) However, it certainly created some tension and stress at times. Bold Christian athletes have regularly had their intensity, loyalty and team chemistry questioned. People will accuse the player of proselytizing, preaching at other players or being judgmental. Sacrifices will probably be made.

This should serve to remind us that all sacrifice involves cost. Often we want to offer our bodies a living sacrifice, but we hope that comes free of charge. However, if we take advantage of opportunities to speak of Christ and His work on our behalf, it will sometimes create a cost. The cost does not mean you've done something wrong. It just may mean you've done something right.

Vague Credit

First of all, I want to thank God, for without Him, none of this would have been possible.

This week, I've been taking a look at this phrase. It doesn't thrill me, but I think we can learn from it. However, even if the athlete chose to say, "First of all, I want to thank Jesus Christ, for without Him, none of this would have been possible," I think the statement can be improved.

While the above statement is true, for all things have been made by, for and unto Him, He is therefore worthy of all thanksgiving, the listener is still left to wonder just what you mean. By simply saying you are thankful for all things, you are actually thanking Him for nothing.

So what should you thank Jesus for? The win? I always find that troubling, for what do you make of the fact that other players/fans were probably rooting for the other team. You could thank Jesus for your health, but again, this could seem awkward if another player was injured during the game. You could thank Jesus for your gifts, skills, abilities, breaks, contract, teammates or opportunity, however, trying to list all of these things could make you sound like the NASCAR driver who tries to rattle off every sponsor in less than four seconds.

How about thanking Jesus for the most central thing He has ever done for you?

Ultimately, whatever the outcome of the game, it's still just a game. Despite the grace of your physical health, it's still just your physical help. No gracious blessing you could receive will mean a thing if you still stand before God condemned for your sins. The athlete may not get the chance to say, "Hey, this is only a game," without the statement being misconstrued as apathy or complacency. He doesn't need to state how his salvation exceeds all other blessings he has received. Simply by only giving thanks for your salvation, you automatically place it out front and center.

In the same way, we should seek to take our speech to the gospel. We should seek to take opportunities to thank Jesus not just for the blessings we've received in life, but for the most blessed work He did for us. Don't always attempt to thank Him for everything, for without the gospel, none of it would mean anything.

Giving Jesus Credit

First of all, I want to thank God, for without Him, none of this would have been possible.

I mentioned Monday that the phrase doesn't thrill me, and mentioned yesterday that there could be something for us to learn from it.

My first concern is that this phrase is just too vague. Except for the vexed atheist, everyone else is left to think you may be talking about their god. Even if the person knows you are a Christian, a simply compliment to "God" can allow the person to take a more relativistic perspective; knowing who you mean by God, not believing you are limiting yourself to only this God.

Jesus leaves no room for doubt. By giving thanks to Jesus Christ you leave no room for doubt. If a person objects that they truly wanted to thank God the Father, then I would suggest they say, "God, the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ."

Here's the ultimate question:

Could the same statement of thanks have been made by a Jew, a Muslim or a "God-fearing" pagan?

So often, we're content for people to know general things about us: we're religious, we go to church, we don't do this-or-that. However, those things do not tell us much. The world is not offended by religion, church or morals. Frankly, Jesus would not have been crucified had He simply been a good, church going guy. No, Jesus was killed for declaring that He is God, had the power to forgive sin and would be raised to life after dying in place of others.

If you are a believer, you were not saved by being a monotheist. If you are a believer, you are saved by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, who offered Himself on behalf of your sins. If you want to glorify God in every opportunity, make sure you speak of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Credit Score--Does It Matter

Yesterday, I mentioned that I find the statement, "First of all, I want to thank God, for without Him, none of this would have been possible," is not a statement that thrills me to hear.

But is this just a case of being nit-picky? I mean after all, can't we cut some slack? These men (or women) have just endured a competition that taxed their physical, emotional and mental limits only to have a camera stuck in their face and to be asked, "What do you think?" Half the time, these athletes are still huffing and puffing from the competition. Can we really evaluate what they say?

While we should offer grace in these situations (and notice, I'm not calling anyone specific out), I do think there are lessons for us to learn, even for those of us who will probably never have anyone with a microphone ask us what we believe...especially in a heated situation.

1. These athletes have played this moment in their head in advance. Seriously, even "players" like myself--who mastered keeping the bench pinned to the floor--visualized playing a central role in a high profile game. It may be the first time a microphone is in their face, but it's not the first time they have played the scenario in their head. This is a perfect example of, "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;" (1 Peter 3:15). You may never cross the checkered, sink a putt, drive in a run or drain a shot when everyone is looking, but if your sanctification is visible to the world, questions will be asked, and you should have answers prepared in advance.

2. Similarly, we live in a sound byte culture. When the reporter asks a question, the athlete will not have time to breakdown his take on the covenants, why he's complementarian or his former religious views. He has probably been asked a different question already and will only have a moment to make another statement, before he must deal with the questions he's been asked. If he keeps ignoring the question before him, he will appear rude, smug and selfish. Though it may be halftime or postgame, the clock is still ticking. Our days are often filled with similar opportunities. No, evangelism is not the sum of pithy cliches and witty one-liners. However, I often pray that doors would be opened for the opportunity to share and underestimate how often I may have a chance to influence the conversation or nudge it in a direction. Examining a quick statement at the beginning of an interview can help us remember we need to articulate the things that matter.

Giving God Credit

Though I try to keep it in proper proportion, right now is a great time to be a sports fan. The NBA Finals are compelling, baseball is heating up, camps are opening up in the NFL and I'm even headed out to a drag race laster this month. It's amazing to watch athlete compete at a level you could only dream of and to exercise abilities God has given them, whether they acknowledge Him as the source or not. It's especially thrilling to follow an athlete who professes Christ as Savior. (I intentionally keep from knowing about any believers who attend the School Up North so I won't feel compelled to root for any player.) However, there is one trend that bothers me a bit, lately:

First of all, I want to thank God, for without Him, none of this would have been possible.

What do you think?

Is there a better way to seek to glorify God?

Are there lessons for us to consider?

I'll attempt to break down some of my thoughts through the week.