Soccer, I can do. Volleyball, I'm there. Basketball...not so much.
But after living in IN for 1.5 years, I had a culture-shock breakthrough Tuesday evening.
That's right, I played basketball. I even played it kinda well--I was the high-scorer of the final game that evening.
Granted, everyone (including the opposing team of high school boys) was pretty tired by that point, and I wasn't being guarded very closely. But still, the ball went into the basket after leaving my hands. Nothing short of miraculous!
I'm convinced God was intervening!
More importantly, I hope God was intervening in the hearts and minds of those high school boys, who have two things in common:
1. They love to play basketball (and there's 1 skater too).
2. They live in a pretty rough area in downtown Indianapolis.
Many of them live with one, or neither, parent (and maybe a live-in girlfriend/boyfriend, or a parade of such). Many of the homes in which they live are pretty close to destitution. Many of them are in uncomfortable proximity to drug, alcohol, and sexual abuse on a regular basis.
But they keep coming.
Even though they often lack enthusiasm about the devotion/Bible lesson that one of us old guys shares with them each week, they keep coming. Probably mostly for the basketball, but hopefully for something deeper. Something they themselves don't understand. Something they need if they're going to survive their circumstances.
Something we old guys need to survive our circumstances.
So I keep going too, even if I don't like basketball.
What about you? What don't you like?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Can I make a list?
Deep stuff! Great verses too! I need to pray for them more!
Great post! Welcome to the blogosphere. :)
It is so wonderful that those kids get an outlet like that. That they have the opportunity to hang out with people who truly care about them. The rest will come, but it is your example they are looking at now. Awesome ministry for someone who doesn't even like basketball. :)
Whoa, slow down! You are gong to burn yourself out, writing so many posts in your first week!
What do I do that I don't want to do? Continue working with people who get on my nerves, don't really care what I say, and can be really obnoxious to boot! That is, until I remember that God is working in their lives (and mine as well) to be all that He has created us to be. Do we know why we do it? Not really (Galatians 6).
Post a Comment