Dirty Delly

Dirty Delly

In January 2016, Matthew Dellavedova, the Australian-born Cleveland Cavalier, was voted by twenty-four of his peers as the dirtiest player in the NBA. Some of this reputation came from the way his style of play was perceived in the 2015 NBA finals. Delly, as many in the league call him, plays a hard-laced, scrappy brand of basketball. He is a far cry from the likes of Rodman and Laimbeer and the bad boys in Detroit. Dellavedova received nearly two times the votes as the next player. The survey, conducted by Los Angeles Times writer Broderick Turner, allowed players to remain anonymous when they submitted their list of dirtiest players.

Have you ever received harsh words about your work from an anonymous source? They are hard to hear, because you have no ability to defend yourself. When it has happened to me, it has caused a bevy of emotions, including sadness, anger, and frustration. After the initial shock, I have tried to step back and see if what was being said had any truth to it. Here are a few Scriptures that can assist you if you find yourself in this place.

The first is Proverbs 26:2, which states, “Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim.” Take courage in this message, and let the words of the anonymous coward fall from your ears.

The second Scripture is Proverbs 12:1, which says, “To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.” If there is something to be learned, then step back and look for it, regardless of how the message came to you. If you position yourself to be a lifelong learner, then there is something to be gained by this that will be to your benefit.

Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim.

Proverbs 26:2