CincySportsWorld.com Gateway To Greater Cincinnati Sports & Competitions
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.
Buying In
Hebrews 11:1&6—1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: One could argue that the greatest of character traits is faith. It blends and combines so many positive attributes that faith should be the starting point. Faith encompasses trust, hope and loyalty. It requires confidence, commitment and conviction. All these things are based solely on past experiences for which there is no proof. We often use phrases like “keep the faith” and “don’t you have any faith in…” as reminders of how sometimes you have to almost blindly (things not seen) trust a person or situation. A very noble characteristic is to be faithful or full of faith. This is irreplaceable in relationships, no matter if the relationship is platonic, romantic, religious or amongst team mates. While character can be summed up as what a person says or does when no one is around, this is the essence of faith. The confidence that actions rooted in good character will yield the best outcome, even when you can’t see how, is a wonderful description and benefit of faith.
The opposite would be the term presumption. This implies that the attitude and/or belief need some presumed evidence to come to a probability. Amazingly close to the word is assumption and to assume which the old saying states “makes an ass out of u and me”. The point is that these terms are based on past evidence to arrive at what would or could probably happen. Faith is what WILL happen. You not only hope it will transpire, but you trust that it will. You are loyal to the belief beyond a shadow of a doubt. You remain committed, confident and possess an unwavering conviction to call things that you can not see as though they are. You know that the coach’s game plan gives our team the best chance to win. A player will respond greatly when he has faith in the coaches system or program. It has been termed “buying in” to what the coach is teaching. Teams that lack a high percentage of players that “buy in” tend to be schizophrenic and have trouble with team chemistry. This means that some of the athletes are committed and some doubt that what Coach says is best for the team (translated best for that individual player). False faith will flourish when things are going well, but what happens when the false faith is tested by adversity. The team suffers because the doubters now think “I knew it wouldn’t work” and the team goes through a personality change. It was never really faith at all only presumption. Faith screams out, “Stay the course and don’t look at the present circumstance. Keep trusting and remain loyal to the cause.
You must believe that if I stay committed that my confidence will remain high. My strong conviction must continue by knowing that there might be another way to handle this adversity but I and my team mates must stay on the same page (the coach’s system and program) to give our team the best chance at success.” The beauty of this scenario is that when the greater number of players have and show faith the doubters are easily converted. Positive peer pressure is just as strong as the negative variety. Faith, like most substances requiring evidence or not, is contagious. Every believer wants to please God. This scripture is as plain as it gets. It is IMPOSSIBLE to please God without faith. That bears repeating, it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God without faith. On the religious or spiritual front we are talking about faith in the promises of God. I do not need to see a daggone bit of evidence to KNOW that what God said in His Word is going to come to pass. Stay the course and don’t look at the present circumstances. Keep trusting and remain loyal to the cause.
You must believe that if I stay committed that my confidence will remain high. My strong conviction must continue by knowing that there might be another way to handle this adversity but God’s way gives me the best chance at success. Can a person practice being faithful? Yes indeed, this was the purpose of the team analogy. Practice your faith in appropriate situations, when it’s just you and God, and your faith will be built up and strengthened. Be patient and be like a child. Always remember the high level of faith in children because that is what it takes often times. The greatest gift is to please your earthly and heavenly Father.
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
