Shaming of theTrue 

A fresh and unique blending of two traditionally disconnected topics---spirituality and sports. Follow Sly Young as he attempts to accomplish the feat of playing professionally in the three major sports using positive character traits taught through scripture.

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                  Be Your Best!
 
Ephesians 1:18-The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know the hope of his calling.

There are two sides to the need to enlighten or the act of enlightenment. This scripture deals with the urgency to be freed from ignorance with knowledge and then understanding--enlightenment. The equally important aspect is to actually be “The Light” and furnish the knowledge by leadership. The word ignorance is commonly looked at as a put down and basically negative. Whereas the term may not be a trait that is eagerly sought out, it really only means a lack of knowledge. All God’s children are ignorant. The sin is to reject enlightenment or to choose to stay in darkness. It is sometimes very difficult to discern which information is enlightening and which should be discarded to the darkness. Misinformation is often used by the enemy to delay or darken our journey to the light. Lessons are often held up because of detours created by a lack of understanding that knowledge must be sought. What Mama said or what Uncle Ray-Ray did is not always the only way to gather and obtain wisdom. For example, Uncle Ray-Ray may have met extreme obstacles in getting a college education or a high school education for that matter. Just because he may have been ignorant to certain skills needed to succeed in an educational setting might taint the information he chooses pass on. That’s not his fault but the responsibility of the individual to sort through and compare information sources. “The Light” may come in almost any shape or form. Another name for “The Light” is revelation. If all wisdom comes from God, then enlightenment is His revealing information or His revelation. The steps to wisdom begins with knowledge, flows through understanding, walks with application and then and only then is called wisdom. To stop at mere knowledge is not nearly enough to become enlightened. In our day and age knowledge and information are plentiful, but wisdom is scarce. The purpose of the enemy is to block “The Light” with several waves of darkness to keep us misinformed and/or ignorant. This brings to mind a couple of examples in the world of sports. While bringing a team or an individual along, the coach works diligently to get to a point where “the light bulb goes off”. A team may figure out that it is easier and probably better to play the game as a team instead of as a collection of individuals. They grow to practice and work with their teammates in mind. When a team plays for each other the results are astounding. On an individual level the revelation can be quite simple. The realization that the competition is just as much against themselves as it is against the opponent or course. Enlightenment in this instance is priceless.

The flip side can be illustrated perfectly in a frequently reproduced quote, “Our Deepest Fear”, by Marianne Williamson. This quote has been attributed to Nelson Mandela, when he referred to it in a speech in 1994. It is also used quite enlightening in two very good movies, “Coach Carter” and “Akeelah and the Bee”. There are three excellent references in the quote which can be life changing if the “light bulb goes off”. Space prevents using the whole quote but the three lines are:

1)     It is our light, not the darkness that most frightens us. 2)     There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that others won’t feel insecure around you. 3)     As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

My God, my God, how important these revelations could be to every person, but ideally to a young person. Don’t be scared to stand out as the most brilliant, most talented or the best. Your light is from God and let that light shine! There is no benefit to anyone if you dim your light to make some one else feel better. God gave YOU the light to LEAD others, not to turn it off because your talent may be different than their light. Your light might be the only light in the darkness that allows others to see their path to their own light. How wonderful life would be if we all could get this bit of enlightenment. Each person should be enlightened to furnish light through their brilliance. Once I let my light shine for all to see the darkness created by the enemy is illuminated and the knowledge, understanding and wisdom can be revealed from God. What a revelation to inspire the “hope of His calling”!

                                                                             Fred Tudor

Fred Tudor is a twenty-two year employee of the Cincinnati Public Schools as a Health and Physical Education teacher. He has been coaching at the high school level in Greater Cincinnati since graduating from Wittenberg University in 1979. His coaching stints includes stops at his alma mater Walnut Hills High School, Hughes Center High School, and from 1990 until present coaches at Wyoming High School. His church home is Cincinnati Bibleway Church in Madisonville, Apostles James and Grace Blue Pastors. Contact Information: 513.328.2767 E-Mail: Info@CincySportsWorld.com