“Be humble in whatever you do, never let selfishness or
pride be your guide." ~ Philippians 2:3
Death wasn't kind. He knew that. It took people who were far too young, far too
good. It didn't pretend to care, it
didn't pretend to distinguish.
After a five-year fight with cervical cancer, Johntel watched
helplessly as his mother took her last breaths.
She was just 39.
As his teammates gathered at the hospital in show of support
for their senior captain, there was talk of cancelling the basketball game. Johntel wouldn’t have it. He insisted they play. And play they did, even though the game
started late and absent their captain and MVP.
Early in the second quarter, Johntel emerged from the locker,
fully dressed in his team’s crimson and gold uniform. The Coach called a time out and players from
both benches hugged the grieving athlete. Fans came out of the stands to do the same.
He’d intended just to watch and support his team from the
bench. He soon realized, however, that
despite his grief, he wanted to play. But
since he wasn’t on the pre-game roster, his team received a technical foul when
he entered the game.
Two free throws awarded on a technical foul would usually
come as a welcome opportunity in a tight game.
Under the circumstances, the opposing Coach (Rodman) and his team didn't
feel right about taking them. They
pleaded with the referees, but the rulebook left no room for exceptions.
It didn't matter that Rodman’s basketball team had ridden a
bus two and a half hours to get to a game that started an hour late. Didn't matter that the game was close, or
that this was a chance to beat a big city team.
Something else was on Rodman’s mind when he asked for a
volunteer to shoot the two free throws. “Let’s
do the right thing,” he suggested before carefully selecting his shooter.
Darius went alone to the free throw line, dribbled the ball
a couple of times, and stared at the rim.
His first attempt went about two feet, bouncing several times as it
rolled out of bounds. The second barely left
his hand.
It didn't take long for Johntel and his teammates to figure
out what had just happened. They stood
and turned toward their opponents and started applauding the classy gesture of sportsmanship.
Soon, so did everybody in the stands.
Johntel went on to score 10 points and his team won easily. Later, both teams went out for pizza, two
players from each team sharing each pie.
Rodman’s team went home with a loss. But their display of character would be
something no one in that gym would ever forget.
Sometimes you win . . . sometimes you learn. Amen?
Lord God, there's so much more than the score at
the end of the game. Help us keep
competition in perspective. Help them
play fair, safe from injury and thankful for the chance to demonstrate their
faith to others by their actions. Amen.
