Three weeks ago pro basketball player Jeremy Lin—unrecruited out of high school and undrafted out of college—was sent to the minor leagues of the NBA. Three days later he was reinstated with the Knicks as a benchwarmer. On February 4, he scored 25 points, with 5 rebounds and 7 assists. The next game he had 28 points and eight assists, and tonight he scored 38 points for a victory over the Lakers, capping off a remarkable week and a four-game winning streak. He’s becoming the Tim Tebow of the NBA.
Here are some excerpts from an interview with The Evangelical Portal:
How does your faith shape the way you behave on the court? Are you a different basketball player because you are a Christian?
Not just in basketball, but I think in life, when you’re called to be a Christian, you’re automatically called to be different from everyone else. In today’s world of basketball, it makes you really different, because the things that society values aren’t necessarily in line with what God values.
Much of it comes down to humility. We as Christians are called to be humble. And if we really understand the gospel, we will be humble. We should be humble, and understand that everything that is good comes from God.
We are also called to turn the other cheek and love our enemies. There are times on the basketball court when people will say things to you, and you just have to bite your tongue and love them. It’s almost as though you have to love then even more, and that love means more if they’re wronged you.
Society focuses so much on individual stats and wins and losses. To a certain extent, you can control those things. But to play for God means to leave the records and the statistics up to Him and give your best effort and allow God to figure out whether you win or lose, whether you play or shoot the ball well that game. So I just try to make sure that I work hard and in a godly way. I prepare myself as well as I can, and at every point during the game I try to submit myself to God and let Him use me.
When you’re called to be a Christian, you’re automatically called to be different from everyone else. In today’s world of basketball, it makes you really different, because the things that society values aren’t necessarily in line with what God values.
Much of it comes down to humility. We as Christians are called to be humble. And if we really understand the gospel, we will be humble. We should be humble, and understand that everything that is good comes from God.
You can read the entire interview here:
http://www.patheos.com/Resources/Additional-Resources/Faith-and-Fate-of-Jeremy-Lin.html?print=1
markchanski 