Humble Talent

Humble Talent

In separate conversations with the parents of one of my players, I told them, “It is such a delight to coach your son. Never have I seen such talent with such genuine humility.” This young man was a standout athlete on our football team. Although he was extremely fast, determined, and gifted, he was also nervous. This made itself known before every kickoff, as he would try to get his helmet off before the vomit came out of his mouth. After he would throw up, I would look at his father and say, “I love it. You can’t teach that!”

What I appreciated most about this young man was his reaction to adversity and his response when he was successful. When adversity came, he didn’t back down from it. Instead, he shifted to another gear and pushed harder. Some kids can do that and not change the outcome at all. Few, like this one, can change the whole game. When he did change the game, he didn’t dance or talk trash. He simply gave the ball to the referee and came to the sidelines.

Proverbs 11:2 states, “Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” This young man was admired by his coaches and teammates, but he didn’t seek that glory at all. He just went out for the next play, and when the game was over, he would come up to me, win or lose, and say, “Thank you, coach!”

Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

Proverbs 11:2