God's Coaching #321

God's Coaching #321

Looking at the players on the 2010 Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team, you may wonder, Was this a college roster or an NBA team? It’s easy to be confused by the names Horford, Hardaway, and Dumars.

Three of the Wolverines were the sons of former NBA players, and one, Josh Bartelstein, was the son of a pro sports agent. Jon Horford’s dad, Tito, had played for the Milwaukee Bucks in the late 1980s, and his brother Al played in the NBA for the Atlanta Hawks. Tim Hardaway Jr.’s dad played 13 years in the pros until 2003. And Jordan Dumars’s father, Joe, won NBA championships with the Detroit Pistons in 1989 and 1990 and was the president of the Pistons operations when his son started college. You could say the 2010 Wolverines had a ball growing up. Get it? They got to attend NBA games and hang out around professional athletes. But each of them realized his name didn’t mean anything until he proved what he could do on the court.

What’s the Score?

All three of these famous fathers said they didn’t push their sons into basketball. Instead they were ready to support their sons in whatever activities they chose. But Michigan’s Horford, Dumars, Hardaway Jr., and Bartelstein learned from their fathers. They paid attention. They listened to their dads’ tips and advice, and they put into practice the same kind of work ethic their fathers had used to reach the highest levels of basketball.

What can you learn from your dad or mom? The Bible tells us not only to obey our parents (Ephesians 6:1), but also to listen to them (Proverbs 23:22). That’s because God knows we need their guidance and wisdom to learn how to do well in life. Watch and listen to the ways your mom and dad work, play, and treat other people. Every dad and mom has his or her strengths and weaknesses. Nobody is perfect. They’ll make mistakes, and sometimes we can learn even from watching those. But your parents have experienced a lot of things and know the challenges life brings—even if they’ve never played pro sports. You can gain lots of skill and wisdom right there in your very own home.

On the Ball

Watch Mom and Dad. List three things they’re good at that you’d like to be able to do too. Ask them for their advice; then write down their secrets.

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Coach’s Comment

Listen to your father, who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old. Proverbs 23:22