Passing the Ball (Friday Devotional)

 

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.

- Ephesians 3:14-17

When Kobe Bryant was winning scoring titles and NBA championships for the Los Angeles Lakers, he acquired a reputation for being the kind of superstar who could singlehandedly take over a game. If the Lakers were down in the 4^th quarter, no one ever wondered who would control the ball on each possession—fans and players alike knew it was Kobe time, that virtually every offensive play would feature Bryant driving to the basket or pulling up for a jumper. In the biggest moments, the other Lakers were merely supporting players in the Kobe Bryant Show.

So when Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals rolled around, with the Lakers facing off against their historic rivals, the Boston Celtics, in a do-or-die matchup, everybody held their breath waiting to see what kind of performance Bryant would put on. Teammates like Pau Gasol and Derek Fisher, stars in their own right, were almost beside the point—the questions were all about how Bryant would fare against the vaunted Celtics defense.

So it came as a disturbing shock to Lakers fans when the game commenced and Bryant seemingly couldn’t hit a shot. Jumpers clanked off the rim, easy layups missed their target—for whatever reason, Kobe’s game just looked off. At halftime he’d managed just 8 points and was shooting 3 for 14 from the field, and unsurprisingly the Celtics were up by 6. Something was disastrously wrong with Kobe.

So in the second half he shifted gears. His shooting touch wasn’t much better than before—he’d wind up going 6 for 24 from the field over the course of the game—but now he started passing more often to his teammates, focusing more on rebounds and assists than points. When the decisive 3-pointer swished through the net in the fourth quarter, sealing the Lakers victory, it wasn’t because of a vintage Kobe fadeaway, but because he passed to an open Ron Artest. To win his 5^th championship, Kobe Bryant couldn’t be a solo star—he needed the help of those who’d been with him all along.

In life, we all have a sinful tendency to see ourselves as Kobes, the stars of our own shows, surrounded by bit players. We think we can navigate life’s ups and downs on our own merits, relying on our talents, wits, and plans to get us through. We think, in short, we don’t really need others’ help.

So it always comes as a nasty surprise when the illusion of self-sufficiency is dispelled by circumstance. When tragedy strikes or your much-vaunted independence fails a test, you suddenly find yourself looking around wondering who you can turn to now.

For believers, the good news is that we have a God who, like Kobe Bryant’s teammates, is with us even when we’re trying to get by on our own. As Paul prayed in the passage above, God strengthens us with his Spirit and dwells within us when we place our faith in Christ. Whether in times of abundance or times of difficulty, God is with us, helping us to do His will.

Our world tells us that independence is one of the greatest virtues, that it is better to be self-reliant than to accept the help you need. But in Christ we are given a greater truth—the God who created the universe is on your team. Why not pass him the ball instead?