Category: Over The Hump

Picture this. It’s the second week of preseason, and there’s a player who is consistently showing up five minutes late to every workout. You’ve seen enough and had enough. In your mind, he’s lazy, he’s not coachable, not disciplined, and he’s a distraction. You’ve already written his story. Then a week passes, and his mom stops you in the parking lot and tells you he’s been getting both of his younger sisters to school before he heads to workouts because his father is in the hospital battling pneumonia. Suddenly, the story changes, and so does how you see him.

In a similar way, that’s what Jesus is doing in Luke 7. He’s at dinner with a Pharisee named Simon when a woman with a bad reputation walks in. She’s weeping. She pours perfume on His feet and wipes them with her hair. Simon watches and thinks, “If this man were a prophet, he’d know what kind of woman this is.” Simon sees her label, not her.

So how do we guard against our love for others becoming cold and callous?

1. Stop Playing the Critic

Where do you land right now? More critical or more compassionate? Do you have a critical spirit? I’m reminded: being a constant critic can become an easy entry point for sin to sow seeds of division.

2. Lay Down Your Comparisons

Jesus tells Simon about two men in debt, one owing a lot and one owing a little. Neither could pay, and both were forgiven. Simon thought he was the fifty-coin guy and she was the five-hundred. But nobody at that table could pay it back. Don’t get caught in the comparison game. Coach each of your players as who they are and what they can become.

3. Drink From His Fountain of Grace

Jesus told her, “Your sins are forgiven. Go in peace.” Her love was warm because she knew how much she’d been forgiven. Lamentations 3 reminds us, “His mercies are new every morning.” Allow grace to be a staple in your life personally — and as a coach. You’ve been forgiven; now forgive others.

Listen Closely—

When our love grows cold, it’s usually because we have started judging instead of remembering. You judge the players, the parents, and even yourself. However, when you remember how much you’ve been forgiven, you will stop keeping score and start seeing your players and people the way Jesus sees them. So before you walk into practice today, take a minute, drink deep, and let grace warm you back up.

 

In the spring of 2023, we had an experienced baseball team returning from the previous season. In our first game of the season, we faced a quality opposing pitcher and got shut out. In our second game of the season, we lost in an extra-innings walk-off affair. As we entered our third game of the season, doubt crept into my mind about how good we could be. This doubt became great as the third game progressed, entering the bottom of the 7th, losing 1-0. Lo and behold, we scored two runs in the bottom of the 7th, winning in walk-off fashion. We then won 12 of the next 13 games. Our doubt becomes the foundation of faith.

Being raised in a Christian home, we would hear biblical stories of faith from a young age. We hear of Jesus healing the sick, the lame, the blind, and the poor. Many of these healings end with Jesus blessing those that have been healed with this phrase, “…your faith has made you well.”

Jesus healed the bleeding woman, and then in Matthew 9:22, Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.

In Mark 10:52, Jesus says these words to Bartimaeus, “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

After healing the Samaritan leper, we read in Luke 17:19, “Then he said to him, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well.’”

All these reminders of people having faith can lead us to feeling that we should not have any doubts or that if we have doubts, there is something wrong with us. Our doubts are reminders that we are human. Our doubts provide the opportunity and the foundation for our faith.

Instead of focusing on our doubts, we are being challenged to lock eyes with Jesus. Our doubts bring our head down, and in order to lock eyes with Jesus, we must lift our head up. Look around and look up. It is then that we are reminded of what is written in Luke 7:22-23, “Then he told John’s disciples, ‘Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.’ And he added, ‘God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.’”

Each of us has a story of faith to tell. We have experiences where God shows up. It is up to us to keep our eyes up and know that God shows up. He shows up right on time to remind us that our doubts are the foundation of the faith that makes us well.

Lead well. Love better.

During my coaching days years ago, I was involved in one game I’ll never forget. My team was on the road and playing a doubleheader. This meant a long day at the field! Getting down 7-0 early just deflated the team. You could see them looking ahead to the 2nd game. However, we still had to finish Game 1. In our final at-bat, with 2 outs and an 0-2 count on our hitter, something changed! That hitter reached base, and the next and the next….. and before we knew it, we were on top 9-7 and won the game! I do not remember the outcome of Game 2!

What changed? How did this happen? I can attest to one thing: I heard from the dugout (I was coaching 3rd) someone say, “We can still do this!” What, why now? Where did his HOPE come from? With each hitter having success, HOPE rose, JOYFUL noise could be heard, BELIEF grew, and the results were something no one would forget!

In Luke 7:12-13, all hope was lost. The mother’s only son was dead, and she was already a widow. What hope did she have? She had no future! There was no one to take care of her. She was destined to beg for a living. Well, Jesus happened! He had just entered the town and witnessed the funeral procession. Jesus felt compassion for her! He saw, he felt, he acted, and raised the boy and gave him back to his mother!

Don’t miss this: Of course, Jesus knew the ramifications of this boy’s death meant to the mother. No one asked Jesus to act. However, his actions spoke volumes to the witnesses. He continued to confirm his authority and build his identity. They could see he was empowered by God.

When you coach at any level, the players will look to you for inspiration, confidence, and positivity. How you walk, talk, act, react, and simply lead your team will determine just how much influence you will ultimately have with them.

Compassion for each individual and their stories is a good place to start.

Compassion was an underlying theme in all Jesus’ miraculous acts!

What better way to lead a team but with the character of Christ flowing through you!

In Luke 7, a Roman officer had a guy dying — basically his MVP. He sends the local leaders to Jesus with a résumé: “He deserves this. He’s earned it. Look what he’s done for us.”

But when Jesus gets close, the officer stops him. He doesn’t lean on his record. He just says, “I’m not worthy — just say the word.”

That’s the flip we need too. We spend our lives building résumés: wins, rankings, and reputations. And that’s not wrong. However, when we come to Jesus, we don’t come with our stat sheet. We come with our need. Just like that officer did.

Then he says something remarkable: “I get authority. I say ‘go’ and they go, ‘come’ and they come. I know how command works — and I know You have that kind of authority over my situation.” He wasn’t looking at the odds. He was looking at who Jesus is.

That’s our second reminder: don’t coach your circumstances — trust Jesus’ authority over them. The scoreboard, the injury report, the analytic numbers, the tough matchup — none of it is bigger than Jesus.

And here’s the finish: the officer believed before he saw the healing. He trusted the word before he saw the evidence. Jesus said, “I haven’t seen faith like this.” Then the servant was healed.

Listen Closely: So here’s what to carry into today:

Bring your need, not your credentials.

Trust His authority more than your circumstances.

And hold onto His promise even before you see the outcome.

Your team, your program, your day: it may be beyond your control. It is never beyond His authority.

 

A college student-athlete received permission to leave the field early one afternoon so he could have some uninterrupted study time just before his final exam.

When he arrived to class, everyone was doing their last-minute study preparation. The professor came in and said he would review with all the students for a period of time before the final.

They went through the review, with most of it being on the study guide; however, there were some things the professor was reviewing that the students had never heard of.

When questioned about it, the professor said that all the answers were in the book and all the students were responsible for everything in the book. None of the students argued that point.

Finally, it was time to take the final.

The professor instructed:

“Leave the test face down on the desk until everyone has their copy, and I’ll tell you when to start.”

When all the students turned them over at the same time, every answer on the test was filled in!

The bottom of the last page said the following:

“This is the end of the Final Exam. All the answers on your test are correct. You will receive an ‘A.’ The reason you passed the test is because the creator of the test took it for you. All the work you did in preparation for this test did not help you get the A. You have just experienced…Grace!”

The professor then went around the room and asked each student individually, “What is your grade?

Do you deserve the grade you are receiving?

How much did all your studying for this exam help you achieve your final grade?”

One student said, “I am not a crier by any stretch of the imagination, but I had to fight back tears when answering those questions and thinking about how the Creator has passed the test for me.”

The professor then said:

“I have tried to teach each of you all semester that every day you are a recipient of grace. I’ve tried to communicate to you that you need to demonstrate this gift of grace as you encounter people in your life. Don’t hammer them; they are not the enemy. Help them, for they will pass it on to others if it is full of GRACE!”

Listen Closely—

In the same way, you didn’t earn God’s grace. You couldn’t. That’s the whole point.

God’s grace isn’t a prize for good behavior or a reward you can work toward—it’s a gift, freely given, because of how deeply He loves you.

There’s nothing to prove, no score to keep, and no way to boast about earning God’s grace on your own merit.

All that’s asked of you is to believe and to reach out by faith and accept what’s already being offered. Not to strive for it. Not to earn it. But to take hold of what God’s unconditional love has already provided you.

Undeserved. Unearned. Unmerited. But freely given grace—simply because He loves you.

That’s The Amazing Grace of God!

Have you ever had a moment that split your life into “before” and “after”?

A job termination that came out of nowhere. A health diagnosis that changed how you see every day since. A divorce you never saw coming. A financial crisis that gutted your sense of security. A death that left you in a state of disbelief. A physical setback that altered what your body can do, permanently.

We all carry something like that—a defining moment we didn’t choose, that we wouldn’t have chosen, but that shaped everything that came after it. You still live with it today. It shows up in how you make decisions, how you coach, how you scout, how you lead, maybe even how you walk into a room.

Jacob had a night like that. And what happened to him in the dark, wrestling with God until sunrise, left him changed for the rest of his life—in his body and in who he was.

Genesis 32 tells us that the night before Jacob faced his brother Esau—the brother he’d cheated, the brother he feared—a Man (God) showed up and wrestled with him all night long, until daybreak. Jacob wouldn’t let go. Not even when God touched his hip and wrenched it out of socket (v. 25). Not even in pain. Jacob held on and said, “I will not let you go unless You bless me.”

And God did bless him—and gave him a new name—but God also left Jacob with a limp for the rest of his life that never went away.

Coaches and scouts know something about wrestling matches that leave a mark. You’ve scouted, drafted, and signed players who took a hit and never played the same again.

You’ve coached athletes through injuries that changed how they moved on the field for the rest of their career.

What you may not have considered is that God does something similar in the men and women He’s preparing for something greater.

A.W. Tozer put it this way:

“It is doubtful God will ever use a man greatly—until He has hurt him deeply.”

That is not a cruel God. That’s the pattern all through Scripture. Jacob at the Jabbok, Elijah at the Brook of Cherith, Joseph in the pit, Paul with his thorn in the flesh.

The limp isn’t punishment. It’s evidence. It’s what’s left over after a man stops fighting God for control of his own life and starts holding on for the blessing instead.

Here’s the truth for anyone walking close with God: you’re going to walk with a limp. It’s coming. Expect it. Embrace it. It will be the best and the worst thing that ever happens to you. The pain doesn’t fully leave, and neither does the power that comes with it.

The coaches in the locker room chasing wins—or the “religious” church-going crowd looking for comfortable, easy faith—won’t fully understand either one.

Why?

Because you can’t coach it into someone. You can only survive the wrestling match and walk away marked by it.

Listen closely—

Where has God been wrestling with you—for control of a decision, a relationship, a career, a team?

What “limp” are you carrying around that’s actually proof you didn’t let go?

Are you still trying to hide it or walk around without it showing, or have you let it become part of your story? Because we all have a story.

Jacob didn’t win that fight by overpowering God. He won it by refusing to release his grip on God.

Hold on, my friend. The injury changes everything, and the blessing is in the limp.

 

In life, when you’re coaching, leading, training, and developing an athlete, coach, or scout, you will naturally gravitate toward those who exhibit more influence, leadership, and impact than others.

Jesus experienced this as well. He had twelve disciples, but throughout His ministry, He repeatedly invested in and invited Peter, James, and John into moments the other nine did not get to experience.

They were with Him when He raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead. They witnessed the Transfiguration. They accompanied Jesus deeper into the Garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion.

But why?

Why them?

Why only these three?

Scripture never gives us a single, explicit reason. However, we can see a pattern: Jesus was not only discipling people; He was preparing and developing leaders who would help multiply His mission.

• Peter would become a central leader of the early church.

• James would become the first apostle among the Twelve to be martyred.

• John would become a foundational apostolic witness and eventually shepherd the church through seasons of tremendous challenge.

Jesus invested deeply in them—not because they were perfect, but because He saw what they could become and how their lives could produce lasting impact in others and in the Church.

There is an important discipleship lesson here for us.

Don’t miss it!

When you disciple others, you may naturally gravitate toward people who demonstrate greater influence, leadership capacity, teachability, and potential for multiplication.

This isn’t necessarily wrong.

In fact, there is wisdom in recognizing that some people have a greater capacity to influence than others. It’s similar to an athlete who has the “It Factor.”

But we must be careful!

Jesus’ deeper investment in the Three doesn’t mean the other nine were less valuable to Him. Jesus loved all twelve. He served all twelve. He taught all twelve. He developed all twelve. And ultimately, He commissioned all twelve.

The lesson isn’t, “Invest only in influential people.”

The lesson is, “Disciple intentionally.”

Move with the Movers!

Listen closely: Ask God to help you recognize where a deeper investment could produce lasting Kingdom fruit.

Who is faithful?

Who is available?

Who is teachable?

Who has the character, conduct, and capacity to carry what you are trying to impart?

Who might become a disciple-making leader themselves?

Jesus didn’t measure success simply by how many people He could gather around Him.

He invested deeply enough in a few that, after He was gone, they would carry the mission forward.

Don’t just ask, “How many people am I discipling?”

Ask, “Who am I discipling who will reproduce, multiply, and disciple others?”

Who are you investing in more deeply?

 

Recently, I came across a powerful quote: “They can make more money—but they can’t make more time.”

One of the greatest reminders that tomorrow is never promised is the story of my own father and sister.

It was Easter Sunday morning in 2021. My father was doing exactly what he had done for countless years—getting ready to go to church and worship his risen Savior.

As he stepped into his car to drive to the Easter morning service, the Lord called him home. There was no warning. None of us knew that what seemed like an ordinary Sunday morning would become his entrance into eternity. He never made it to the church building, but by God’s grace, he arrived in the presence of the One he had faithfully worshiped every day.

Then, exactly one month later, my sister woke up like it was any other day. But by noon, she was gone, having passed away suddenly and unexpectedly.

Time is the one resource God gives equally to every person. Every morning we wake up with a fresh 24 hours—or 86,400 seconds—yet none of us are promised we’ll make it through the day.

Paul reminds us in Ephesians to “pay careful attention” to how we live. That phrase implies intentionality. It means we don’t drift through life—we direct it. We don’t waste our days—we steward them. We manage our time, or our time will manage us.

The world constantly competes for our attention. Endless distractions, entertainment, meetings, and busyness can consume our schedules while leaving our souls empty. It’s possible to be busy every day, yet accomplish nothing of eternal value. Paul says that wisdom is found in “making the best use of the time.”

Don’t miss that!

In other words, redeem every opportunity God places before you.

Live today as if there is no tomorrow—not with fear, but with purpose. Love your family well. Encourage someone who is discouraged. Share your faith. Forgive quickly. Serve generously. Invest in people rather than possessions.

The greatest legacy you will ever leave isn’t what you accumulated; it’s who you influenced for Christ.

One day, our careers will end. Our achievements will fade. Our names may even be forgotten. But every act of obedience to God, every soul impacted, every life encouraged, and every seed of faith planted will continue to bear fruit long after we’re gone. That’s the kind of life that outlives the grave.

Listen Closely: The greatest legacy isn’t how long you live, but how faithfully you live until God calls you home.

So ask yourself today:

If this were my last day, would I spend it the way I’m planning to?

Am I investing my time in things that matter for eternity, or merely things that matter for the moment?

Every day is a gift. Every moment is an opportunity. Every decision is an investment in eternity.

Choose to walk wisely, redeem the time you have, and live in such a way that when your race is finished, the impact of your life continues to point others to Jesus long after you’re gone.

Make Every Day Count!

 

Have you ever squeezed an orange? No matter how hard you squeeze it, orange juice comes out because that’s what’s inside.

The same is true of us. When life puts pressure on us—through stress, persecution, disappointment, defeat, or relational conflict—what comes out of our mouths reveals what’s truly in our hearts.

Words That Tear People Down

“You’ll never measure up.”

“I don’t believe in you.”

“You’re a disappointment.”

“You’re bringing our team down.”

“You’re worthless.”

Words That Build People Up

“God has a purpose for your life.”

“I believe in you.”

“You’re valuable to our team.”

“I believe God is working in you.”

“You’re deeply appreciated.”

Jesus said, “What you say flows from what is in your heart.”

Our words are not just sounds; they are the overflow of our hearts. If our hearts are filled with anger, bitterness, pride, jealousy, or unforgiveness, those things will eventually come out in our speech.

But if our hearts have been transformed by Christ and filled with His love, joy, peace, grace, and truth, our words will reflect His character.

Proverbs 18:21 says:

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”

Don’t miss that!

Listen closely: Every day you have a choice. You can speak words that wound or words that heal. You can criticize or encourage. You can tear someone down or remind them of who they are in Christ.

I’m often reminded:

“Hurt people hurt people.”

The good news is that Jesus doesn’t just tell us to control our tongues—He changes our hearts.

Spend time with God by reading His Word, praying, and allowing the Holy Spirit to shape you so that your heart becomes more like His.

Because when your heart changes, your words begin to change too.

Today, before you speak, text, or email, ask yourself:

• Are my words bringing life?
• Do they reflect the heart of Christ?

Choose to be a person whose words encourage, build up, strengthen, forgive, and speak hope.

Progress, Not Perfection!

After all, what flows from a redeemed heart will always point others to the One who redeemed it.

 

It was New Year’s Day, 1929. Georgia Tech played the University of California in the Rose Bowl. During the first half, Georgia Tech’s running back fumbled. Everyone scattered for the football. Center Roy Riegels saw the football and immediately picked it up. Chaos ensued as Roy made a mad dash 65 yards toward the goal line. The only problem? He was running in the wrong direction!

His teammate, Benny Lom, tackled him just before he scored for the opposing team. “Wrong-Way Roy” landed just feet from the goal line. He later said, “If I could have dug a hole in that turf, I would have covered my head and not appeared again.”

In a similar way, we’ve all met “Wrong-Way Roys” in life—people sprinting full speed, yet heading in completely the wrong direction. They don’t even realize it until it’s almost too late.

I’m reminded:

“The people you choose to surround yourself with will determine the quality and direction of your life.”

The Bible gives us a perfect example in Jonah, a man who literally ran from God. God gave Jonah a clear assignment:

“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it.”

Nineveh was Israel’s brutal enemy. Horror stories about its cruelty circulated like wildfire. To Jonah, the thought of warning those people—let alone offering them mercy—was repulsive. So instead of obeying, he bought a ticket on a ship sailing in the exact opposite direction, hoping to leave God and the mission behind.

But you can’t outrun God!

Back to Wrong-Way Roy.

At halftime, Roy sat in the locker room with his head in his hands, devastated. He knew he had failed. He knew he had blown it. He knew he had let himself, his coaches, his teammates, and the fans down. However, his coach walked over, put a hand on Roy’s shoulder, and simply said:

“Roy, get up and go back. The game is only half over.”

Jonah’s story echoes this beautifully. After being thrown into the sea, God didn’t leave him to drown. Instead, He sent a great fish to swallow him. For three days and three nights, Jonah sat in darkness, smelling like the inside of a fish and replaying every bad decision.

Yet even there, God was with him.

When Jonah finally cried out in repentance, God commanded the fish to vomit him onto dry land, right at the shoreline near the city of Nineveh. A fresh start. A second chance.

That’s the heart of a merciful God!

Listen closely: God doesn’t cancel you when you run in the wrong direction. He doesn’t write you off after your worst failure. He doesn’t shelve you. As long as you have breath in your lungs, the game isn’t over.

God is still saying to every…

“Wrong-Way Roy”

and

“Runaway Jonah,”

“Get up. Turn around. Change direction. Your story isn’t over.”

Stop staring at your mistakes. Look instead to the cross, where Jesus paid for every wrong turn, every act of rebellion, and every failure.

Repent. Turn around today. God’s mercy is greater than your detour.

His grace is bigger than your worst decision.

You can start over.

You can fulfill God’s purpose.

The God who rescued Jonah from the belly of a fish is the same God who’s ready to give you another chance—right now.

Lock eyes with Jesus today and run toward Him. He is waiting with arms wide open just for you.