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.

Advetise with Us

                                                                            Using Freedom Respectfully

1 PETER 2:16,  17---As free, and not using  your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness: 17- Honour all men, Love the brotherhood.

It is an age old debate related to the topic of freedom. When an individual discovers the fact that they have a level of liberty that comes with freedom, they can often misunderstand the responsibility. With freedom comes an importance for an equal level of deference. Deference comes from a root word that may seem to render a negative response—defer. To defer means to delay and/or postpone. This leads you to see the term as meaning some form of procrastination, a bad thing! Conversely, deference is a positive personality and/or character trait. Although it uses an aspect of postponing, the delay is for the benefit of others. Deference constitutes “limiting your own freedom so that you do not offend the rights and tastes of those around you”. Learning and practicing deference is a “splendiferous*” thing!! People must exhibit a courteous regard for others while deferring their own freedom. The opposite would be, for lack of a better term, rude. Rudeness is an ill-mannered disregard for something or someone. Your Grandma would probably pray for her “baby” to never show rudeness on purpose. You cannot use a sense of being free, to act as you please, or as an excuse for a lack of deference. That’s just rude! An example would be those individuals who refuse to remove their hats during the National Anthem. In their little world they see no reason to defer their attitude toward our country, by showing courteous regard for those who are more patriotic. They often times feel that the country, and indirectly the people either serving or having served the country, have done nothing for them personally. You may not understand the level of patriotism felt by those around you, but it is blatantly rude to disrespect their feelings. Yes, you have the freedom and the right to not comply with the pre-song instruction to remove your hat, but you also need to consider someone else’s point of view. You should courteously defer your action to prevent offending those around you. They may have taste different than yours. You are not practicing deference at this particular time.

 
Another situation that comes to mind is the use of profanity. You cannot use the same feelings of freedom to just say anything out of your mouth. Many adults and a surprising number of teens use very little deference or self control when it comes to what they consider a freedom of speech. The garbage comes out of the person’s mouth with little regard to who is in ear shot. The glaring places for adults include shopping malls, public transit, grocery stores and on public streets. Adolescents curse or “cuss” in these same venues but the discouraging additions are in schools, elementary through high school, and surrounding school sporting events. The justification comes in many forms from “they are only words”, to “I’m grown”, to “my Mom let’s me cuss”, and the infamous “it slipped”. If profanity truly slips from a young person’s mouth then it has been practiced and imbedded. Cussing has become a filthy habit. This habit is in no way beneficial, uplifting or cute. It definitely has no place in an educational setting or at a school sponsored athletic event. It is seriously rude to cuss in the presence of any adult. Teens are quick to point to respect as an important issue related to developing through adolescence, but have trouble connecting how a lack of deference is equally disrespectful. If we were to go back to the iconic figure of a Grandmother, there is always a level of self control while sitting at Grandma’s kitchen table. Adults and young folk alike would never let profanity “slip” in that setting. “Nana it is so damn cold outside. My little ass was cold as hell. That f-ing wind was serious. That sh_t smells good, whatcha cooking!!” Granny would be highly embarrassed while she beat you with her cast iron frying pan. Even if you believe that they are just words, or that you have the freedom as a grown-up to cuss, you certainly know this is not the appropriate place. Expand your appropriate environments and limit your liberty as if your Nana was around.

 
Another angle related to sporting events is the need for deference amongst teammates. The best teams will always have members willing to limit and submerge their freedoms for the good of the team. They easiest situation to illustrate this concept is the “ball-hog” in basketball. This player could very well be the most talented player on the team. He or she can probably dominate the ball and has the freedom to shoot whenever they feel like it. This liberty is called the green light. A “ball-hog” will not limit this freedom for the benefit of the team. The malicious act would be putting his or herself above the team. This will surely offend the rights of rest of the team. But with a conscious effort to show courteous regard for team chemistry, he or she is honoring the teammates and manifesting love for brotherhood (or sisterhood whatever the case may be). Freedom is a wonderful thing but deference is just as “splendiferous*”.  

*Splendiferous—word created to combine splendid and wonderful to a high level.

                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                           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