More than a Basketball Game

December 13, 2007

This past weekend I had my first basketball game with the women's team I am a part of. Let me just say that we lost miserably. The first quarter we actually had the lead, but after that things went downhill. A big part of the problem was that hardly anyone on our team had ever played together before which does make strategy and plays difficult. By the 4th quarter the score was hopeless and almost every trip down the court was a fastbreak for the other team because we did not know how to guard on man-to-man defense. I was sitting on the bench at this point and really wanted to go back in and try to make a difference (not that I had made much of one the first 3 quarters).

While I was watching the game, one of my teammates began chatting with me and asking if I could help her daughter. From what I understood her daughter (6 years old) is struggling in school and perhaps having some behavior issues. Her parents have her in an Evangelical school and seem to be hoping that she will follow some of the teaching that she receives. But the mother admitted that her daughter sees very different behavior at home and so is mimicking her parents more than following what she learns at school. I did not have answers for the mother at that moment because I know that I need to be praying about what to say but I did express that it is difficult for children if they are seeing and hearing different things at home and school. As she shared with me and asked for help, I sensed that the woman sees Christianity as following rigid rules and living up to certain standards more than it being a love relationship with Christ.

At some point during our conversation I realized that my time of sitting on the bench was definitely more valuable and eternal than had I been running down the court scoring lots of points. I was where God wanted me. I am not sure when I will be able to pick up the conversation again -- hopefully this weekend if we both make it to the next game. I will definitely be needing the words in Spanish from the Lord to be able to effectively communicate what He wants, but He is more than capable of helping me out in that.