Make Your Own Luck

On Monday night the Grizzlies came back from being down 18 in the 4th quarter for a remarkable win at Golden State.  In a post-game interview Rudy Gay looked into the camera with this closing message, "Kids out there, make your own luck.  Make your own luck."

Luck is defined as:

1. the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities  2. good fortune; advantage or success, considered as the result of chance

So what did Rudy mean by make your own luck?  I've been reflecting on this quote over the week.  To me it means being intentional; being proactive rather than reactive; being aware of your situation and having a plan in place to succeed and make a positive impact.  There have been times in my life when I felt like I was just going through the motions, reacting to life as it comes.  But lately I have been focusing my vision on how God is leading me to live out my life more fully.  In the past year I have been more aware of how God is working out His plan for my life through both the trials and opportunities that I experience.

As I'm reading through Genesis, I'm seeing the works of God around me through Joseph's story.  Joseph was taken through adversity for 17 years - rejection by his brothers, enslavement in Egypt, imprisonment, yet he had a strong faith.  Through the trials, he was able to see how God was preparing him for tasks he could have never imagined.  Joseph's good fortune, or luck, played out through his unwavering faith in God and his obedience to follow God's leading, despite the adversity faced and extended time.

So, back to Rudy Gay.  On Thursday night as the 1st qtr was winding down in LA, Rudy's prophetic quote played out in this half court buzzer beater.  After witnessing it, you can imagine what my first thought was.

Super Bowl 46 picks

I'm looking forward to the games tomorrow.  Intriguing match ups and some good story lines in play...the possible rematch of SB 42 between the Patriots and Giants seems to be the favorite, and of course the potential of a Harbaugh Bowl pitting brothers John (Ravens) vs. Jim (Niners).  Or, what about the possibility of Baltimore (former home of the Colts) winning the SB in Indy in the year the Colts had what was surely their worst season ever?

After going 4-0 against the line with my Wild card picks, I went 1-3 last wknd.  Here's how I see the games playing out.

Patriots -7   Defense wins championships is the old adage and many say this is where Baltimore has the advantage; however, I'm going with the high scoring Patriots at home.  The Patriots have averaged 37 points in their past 9 games (all wins), and the Ravens have had some dog games on the road this year, including an early season loss in Nashville and bad losses on the road to Jacksonville, Seattle and SD.  I like NE 35-20.

49ers -2'  The forecast is for rain tomorrow making it likely a game that will be won by the running game.  SF was best in the league at stopping the run this year.  The Giants are on some kind of roll winning their past 4 in dominant fashion, but prior to that they had lost 5 of 6.  I like what Jim Harbaugh has done in turning the 49ers around in one season, so I'm going with the Niners in a close game won by a FG, something like 16-13.

Tim Tebow's faith and persecution

"Tebowing" has replaced praying in today's pop culture?

So much has been said and written about Tim Tebow in the past several months that I wanted to weigh in with some thoughts.  In Denver he has been called the Mile High Messiah for turning around a team that started the season 1-4 and leading the Broncos to several improbable come from behind wins, a playoff berth, and last weekend's upset over the heavily favored Steelers.  I watched that game (on my birthday) with great interest and I was very happy with the outcome.  Of course many in the media have questioned Tim Tebow's unorthodox QB skills, and at the center of his rise in stardom is his outward expression of his faith.      

When asked to defend why he is so open in expressing his faith, I like how Tim responded:  "If you're married and you have a wife, and you really love your wife, is it good enough to only say to your wife 'I love her' the day you get married?  Or should you tell her every single day when you wake up and every opportunity?  That's how I feel about my relationship with Jesus Christ is that it is the most important thing in my life."  


Furthermore, Jesus tells his disciples (and all followers of Christ) to "let your light shine before me, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).  Critics of Tebow have taken a stance in the media suggesting he should tone it down, and others are just waiting to pounce on him when he fails.  Why is our culture so prone to do this?  Well, the Bible tells us that we will face persecution for our faith. 


In my current study of Acts, chapter 12 begins with the persecution of 2 disciples -- James is killed and Peter imprisoned for their faith.  In fact, we learn that all 12 of Jesus' disciples were martyred for their faith (John was actually exiled to the island of Patmos and died alone).  The early church faced violent opposition to the Gospel, and today, a quick google search reveals that approximately 100 million people around the world are suffering because of persecution as a result of their faith in Jesus.  Of the 196 countries in the world, it is believed that half of these countries actively persecute Christians in one way or another, and in about 50 of these countries it is really bad, namely in North Korea, the Philippines and many Muslim countries.  So in this context, I'm thankful I live in country where we - and Tim Tebow - are merely ridiculed for our faith and not killed or denied fundamental human rights.  


Tonight I will be rooting for Tim Tebow and Broncos to pull off the upset of the Patriots who are favored by 2 touchdowns.  But what I hope most for is another miraculous comeback or a spectacular play by Tebow that could only be explained through his undeniable faith in Christ.  As Chris Vernon tweeted last weekend after Tebow completed an 80 yard pass to seal the overtime victory, "You are witnessing the death of atheism".

Good to Great

"Good to Great" by Jim Collins is a book that was given to me years ago when I worked at ALSAC after one of our annual meetings, and the book has received much praise in the workplace.  It's one of those books I've been meaning to read as I have been reading more books, particularly books on personal development and Christian growth, over the past few years than I ever have before in my life.  In short, the book studies what makes successful companies not just good, but great.  In our society, we naturally aspire to be great, not just good.  

This book was referenced yesterday by Sandy Willson in our study of Acts.  In chapter 11, a passage on Barnabas, he is referred to as a "good man" (11:24).  In the Bible, a number of people are referred to as being great -- from Samson, to Goliath, to King Herod, the nation of Babylon, and you could go on naming others attributed with greatness.  Even the disciples argued before Jesus over who among them was the greatest.  However, as Sandy pointed out, only 2 people in the Bible are singled out as being good:  Barnabas (whose name means "son of encouragement"), and Joseph of Arimathea, who is mentioned in Luke 23:50 as "a good and righteous man" who asked for the body of Jesus and wrapped him in linen and laid him in the tomb.

Throughout the Bible, goodness is consistently associated with God's character, creation and providence.  When the rich young man approached Jesus in Mark 10:17 and asked, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"  Jesus responded, "Why do you call me good?  No one is good except God alone."

In contrasting good to great as Jim Collins does in his book, I'll have to remember the Bible's emphasis on aspiring to just be good.