Looking Up and Out

February 21, 2008

Lar,

Booker T. Washington once said, “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”  That’s biblical and (of course) true.  If we find ourselves in something of a rut, one of the best things we can do is to stop thinking about ourselves.  Eyes inward oftentimes mean despair.  Eyes out and up usually means joy and strength and encouragement and power.

I noticed this yesterday after practice.  Of course, I wish I had noticed it before practice, but, though I remind myself of this truth before every game, I didn’t review it before practice.  For I had missed practice the other day (after two days off) and felt a certain degree of pressure (self-imposed of course) to get my basketball rhythm back immediately.  I have been in a good rhythm with practice and games over the past few weeks, so I wanted that to continue.  Not a bad desire at all.

The problem, however, was that I was too worried about getting my rhythm back.  I was thinking about my jumpshot and my legs and whatever else, rather than how I could make my teammates better.  And you know what happened?  I stunk.

I see this more and more as I grow as a player.  The best way to find my rhythm is to help my teammates find their rhythm.  If I want to get myself going, I need to find a way to get them going.  As I said, I have been reminding myself about this consistently, and it has been a great help.  “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”

What is true in basketball is true in life brother.  If we find ourselves down, the best thing we can do is to stop focusing on ourselves.  After all, if we are down and keep thinking about how we are down, we are bound to get worse.  It’s as if we find ourselves in a hole and foolishly keep on digging.  So I exhort you and myself and everyone else, let us labor to keep our eyes up towards God and out towards others.  It is the only pathway to true joy.

Naturally, Lar, all this points to the wonderful truth that the Lord has set up the universe so that our joy, His glory, and the joy of other people do not conflict.  O may He renew our minds so that we would begin to think clearly!

Laboring to look up and out with you,

Joe

Posted by Joe | Filed Under Random Musings, Seeking Him 

Comments

4 Responses to “Looking Up and Out”

  1. Angie Sears on February 21st, 2008 9:43 am

    Amen! Thank you for stirring up Ryan, me, and a friend of ours who was over while we were reading your blog…praise God for timely encouragement!

  2. Erin on February 25th, 2008 7:40 am

    Joe here. Thanks guys. I just wish I could have really embraced it during the game last night! Such a slow learner am I.

    But that is why I need to write. Write as I learn. And learn as I write. I am sure it will take a good many more words until these realities sink in deep enough to make a difference in crunch time. May the Lord grant grace!

  3. Re on February 27th, 2008 1:41 pm

    This reminds me of one of my favorite verses…
    Acts 4:32
    All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions(thoughts, alibilities or talents) was his own, but they shared everything they had.

    The more I share the more I find that the glory is given to the one that gives and takes away for His benefit and for, as you said, true joy. May you continue ‘passing the ball’ to exhort your brothers and sisters, laboring to grant grace, seeking truth and peace among all.

  4. Joe on February 29th, 2008 12:31 pm

    Amen sister. I am praying for much grace to learn quicker than I normally do!

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