Tag Archives: being teachable

A Team Without Players

The competitor inside of me yearns to win, doing what it takes to bring a team into the winners circle.  Yet, what do you do when you find yourself a part of a team without any players?  Sure, you might have some individuals who can make a play or two, but you can’t expect each teammate to be perfect when they don’t possess essential skills to succeed.  This is where I find myself this baseball season.

Like a high school student who can’t add, read or write, some where along the way young people get neglected, promoted and pushed ahead without meeting appropriate standards.  Currently, the NBA is seeing a similar dilemma as phenoms are great one on one players, but most don’t know how to move, set picks or space the floor when they don’t have the ball.  Whether this is rooted in a lack of discipline, poor coaching or selfishness, every sport is in jeopardy of becoming a team without players.

Patience is a vital attribute while you wait to experience victory for the first time all season.  Teachable pupils is also important to keep morale from slipping toward doubt, constantly correcting errors, mistakes and poor habits as they occur.  The best thing you can do is live out Colossians 3:17, maintaining a positive attitude like a beacon of hope for sad faces.  Until you taste the joy of victory, keep your head up as you make strides to develop players for the future.

What advice do you have for coaches who have inherited a team without players?

by Jay Mankus

 

Lesson’s From God’s Classroom

Synonyms for perspective include angle, outlook and position.  As a former teacher, I tend to approach information as a student trying to make sense of each topic that I read and study.  This morning I stumbled upon an interesting Psalm David wrote while pretending to be insane.  Despite being successful in his efforts, the Holy Spirit speaks to David like a lesson from God’s classroom, Psalm 34:11-14.

Apparently, the Lord is convicting David of his fear of Abimelech and subsequent trust in himself.  God uses his misjudgment as a teachable moment, encouraging children to listen how one can and should be able to fear the Lord.  Getting the classes attention by painting a vivid picture of success, God asks his students, “how many of you desire to see many great days in your future?”  Gaining my interest, the main lesson is found in Psalm 34:13-14.

1. Keep your tongue from evil.

2. Prevent your lips from speaking lies.

3. Turn from the evil desires in this world.

4. Do good to everyone you encounter.

5. Seek peace and pursue any broken relationship that you may have.

The author of Hebrews includes 2 hints to bring this lesson from the classroom into daily living.  First, faith in an invisible God is crucial to applying the words of Psalm 34:13-14.  One must possess hope and certainty of a living God, Hebrews 11:1.  Finally, genuine faith believes God rewards those who earnest seek the Lord, Hebrews 11:6.  Therefore, when you’re struggling to see the fruits of your labor by fearing God, remember this lesson from God’s classroom.

by Jay Mankus

We’ve Never Done Things Like That Before

One of my greatest attributes is the creativity that God has blessed me with in life.  Although I am not the most conventional communicator, I am able to apply Kindergarten Cop like principles on athletic fields, in the classroom and through my interactions with others.  Just when I was about to experience a breakthrough, I heard those 7 dreaded words: “we’ve never done things like that before!”  This narrow minded thinking cut me off at the knees, preventing me from achieving the heights God had intended.  Like Mr. Keating in Dead Poets Society, we lost our teaching positions because others in administrative positions never saw the genius within a life application philosophy of education.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JM-MfwmzJo

Whether you are in business, communication or education, you will always encounter rugged individuals who will try to fit a square peg into a circular hole.  NFL coaches are notorious for similar practices, running a system that they know, without changing their style to fit or meet their rosters unique talent pool.  Thus, certain individuals remain anonymous today, being cut, injured or released by a team before the world was introduced to their special gift.  If only a coach would break away from the status quo, new stars might shine bright.  Unfortunately, power trips and stubbornness repeat the mantra all over again, “we’ve never done things like that before!”

Today’s world needs more Barnabas’, men who will humbly step aside so that the next apostle Paul won’t be thrown under the bus or suppressed by leadership trying to keep their jobs.  Despite their disagreement at the end of Acts 15, Barnabas was actually teachable, learning to think outside of the box.  Maybe politicians can take a cue from Barnabas by retiring from public service after 2 terms instead of trying to hold on to power for 20 years without helping the people who got them elected.  With God’s help and the prayers of the saints, may we flush this mentality down the toilet once and for all, saying goodbye to “we’ve never done things like that before!”  Instead, may a new generation of thinking begin today with, “let’s try it for a while and see what happens next!”

by Jay Mankus