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.