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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                                                                   Right or Wrong?
 
PSALMS 25:21—Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee. Integrity is one of those terms that you probably can use it in a sentence but can’t define. You can’t touch it or see it but somehow you know that you need it. It is coupled here with the term uprightness which can more easily be explained. It means to do what is right and good. The words virtue and benevolence come to mind when you think about being or showing uprightness.

Having a conscience and choosing to do the right thing reminds you of watching cartoons when you are younger. The person who was deciding right from wrong would be portrayed with an angel on one shoulder and a devil’s helper on the other. The situation is you find a wallet with $100.00 and a driver’s license in it. The devil’s helper says “finders’ keepers, the money is yours.” The angel says, “If you keep the money it is stealing.” “You didn’t steal it, you found it,” the voice says convincingly. The competing voice whispers, “You know who the money belongs to, it’s not yours, it’s stealing if you keep it.” The upright individual chooses to do what they know is right without rationalizing a way to do the wrong thing. Depending on prior experiences and how you are taught, you may have problems recognizing right from wrong. There are several people who will argue that they see nothing “wrong” with keeping the money and maybe returning the rest of the wallet. These same people would not see themselves as thieves and would probably think that they were basically honest.

This is where integrity comes forth. Integrity is maintaining a firm level or standard that you know to be right. Your personal standards, which are set based on your values, must not be compromised or corrupted because of the situation. You must always strive to do what you know is right. Not some of the time. Not most of the time, but all of the time. That is integrity in a nutshell! There is a small exception in the specialized circumstances where there is truly a blurred line between right and wrong. Was it wrong for Rosa Parks to sit in the front of the bus on that fateful day? Were Daniel and his boys, Shadrach, Meshach and A Bad Negro (actually Abed-nego) wrong for not following the wishes of the king? The answer lies within each person individually who used their personal standards and values to show integrity.

It is amazing how when your standards were set by your parents many students strive for A’s and B’s. As soon as some of these students reach a certain age, where peer acceptance becomes increasingly more important, the standard is sadly lowered. Just passing becomes the standard. No integrity! At the beginning of each season sports goals are set by many teams. Team goals typically overshadow individual goals at this point in the season. Winning is usually the standard that is proclaimed at this juncture. Teamwork, team chemistry, and sayings like, “No I in team”, are on the lips of most players. But as soon as the season starts to play out and the pre-season goals are long forgotten, the integrity is lost. What you said and how you perform becomes two different things. You began putting the team first, but now if you score two touchdowns, or score a bunch of points, or hit a home run you are satisfied, even if the team does poorly.

The ever present issue of steroids is another current example of no integrity. You know that it is cheating and illegal to use steroids. Your morals, values and beliefs would never lead you to cheat your opponents, team mates or yourself. Then, what you perceive as a good justification, growing older, an injury or just a challenge to be the best, corrupts your integrity. The problem is not the risk of getting caught or the damage to your body, although these are major issues. To compromise your standards and/or integrity is not worth the possible temporary benefit. Some believe that all you really have is your word. You must be true to your word. Word is bond! Know what is right by God. Pray for the strength and courage to maintain his will and his ways. Uprightness says, “This is what is right”, and integrity says, “I will do it.” Then wait on God to bless you and your children. (Proverbs 20:7)

                                                                                                                       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