Seeking God Daily

Forty-two years ago tonight, 8:30 pm or so , Gayle and I got hitched.  The service couldn’t start until her uncles finished milking the cows. We got married in her home town of diminutive Dassel, MN, the chick (poultry not human) center of the midwest. Gayle had that pure, radiant glow of Donna Reed in It’s a Wonderful Life and emanated an air of cool, calm, and confidence. In a word, she was “breathtaking”. I, on the other hand, was a mess! My forehead was displaying a lovely goose egg that was inflicted when I mistook the side glass panel of the sanctuary entrance as an open door. My nerves were frayed by the fact that my best man did not show up for the pre-wedding pictures so we had to have another college classmate of comparable stature stand in for him. My head felt like it was in a vice as my best man finally showed up and finished putting on his tux in the baptistry changing room seconds before the processional began. My stomach was moaning like a moose in heat as I was sure that I was going to puke on the pastor when he asked me, “do you take Gayle to be your lawful wedded wife”. 

Our first night together was in another thriving MN metropolis, New Ulm, home of the Wanda Gag Home, and one motel. I had overlooked booking a room and fortunately,  got the last vacant room as the clock ticked toward  midnight. Unfortunately, the room was on the lower level next to the banquet room where Schell’s brewery was having a beerfest. Sorta difficult to be romantic when you’re listening to “Hey Ole, how about another round!”

Those unexpected events of June 14, 1968 were just a prelude for many more unexpected events that have characterized our journey of joy together. What’s this got to do with seeking God, you may ask? We believe that God is more concerned about how we go through life’s circumstances than He is about the circumstances themselves. Although it has taken a number of years to fully understand  and apply this truth, Gayle and I are convinced that God’s desire is that our contentment in life be anchored to an ongoing pursuit of intimacy with Him no matter what is or isn’t taking place in our life. It’s in those unexpected moments of life that we have the opportunity to experience God’s strength to become our strength; His wisdom to become our wisdom; His vision to become our vision and at times, His sense of humor to become our sense of humor.

“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  (John 16:33)

“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverence.”  (James 1:2, 3)

My Dad’s first love in sports has always been football but like most Indiana boys he also loved to play basketball. Coach Wooden told Dad that he would gladly welcome any football player to try out for the Indiana State basketball team after the football season was completed. Dad was delighted and showed up at the gym as soon as he hung up his cleats and shoulder pads for the season. According to my father, he played hard and held his own with the other hardwood hopefuls. The Coach even commended Dad for his hustle and work ethic; but unfortunately, when the final squad was announced his name wasn’t on the list. Dad remembered Coach Wooden graciously thanking all of the young men who came out for the team and wished them well with words of encouragement and challenge.

“Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” (John Wooden)

In spite of his disappointment he left that experience with an increased fondness for Coach Wooden. Dad reflected upon how the Coach never raised his voice, never allowed swearing, never permitted show boating or cockiness, always maintained control in practice, always spoke kindly even when dispensing correction, always was well prepared, and often quoted Scripture or made reference to God when addressing the athletes. Coach Wooden seemed more like a life coach, my Dad noted. “He was guiding young men to pursue those things in life that were most important.

“Material possessions, winning scores, and great reputations are meaningless in the eyes of the           Lord, because He knows what we really are and that is all that matters.”  (John Wooden)

Hearing the excitement in Dad’s voice and seeing the glow in his face as he went down memory lane with John Wooden caused me to take some up close and personal inventory of my own life. What kind of lasting impression do I leave with people, if any? Is it all about me or are people encouraged in their life because of how I’ve interacted with them? What do people really see and hear in your life?

“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”  (Matthew 5:16)

Truly great people have been influenced by other truly great people. John Wooden often talked about a handfull of exemplary people that impressed and motivated him in his own personal development. Among those were his father, Mother Teresa, Abraham Lincoln, and Joshua from the Bible. Joshua, especially, jumped out at me in relation to the following quote from the Coach.

“It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.“

Coach Wooden did not see himself as a great game coach. That is certainly debatable. What he did see was that he must be a great practice coach. And that he was. His passion for game readiness was so thorough that if his team lost the game it was not due to mental and physical preparation. Here’s how Coach explained it:

“I don’t think I was a fine game coach. I don’t think I was a great strategy guy. I think I was a good practice coach…There are three things an athlete must do. You must be in physical condition … You must execute properly and quickly the fundamentals … and you must have eagerness to sacrifice personal interests or glory for the welfare of the team…There is no substitute for hard work. If you’re looking for the easy way, if you’re looking for the trick, you might get by for a while, but you will not be developing the talents that lie within you. There is simply no substitute for hard work.”

As Joshua sought to prepare the Israelites for inhabiting Canaan he stressed the little things that, if adhered to, would result in “big things”. Here’s how he explained it to them:

“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”      (Joshua 1:8)

There is simply no substitute for hard work if you want to grow into the person that God wants you to be. The easy way does not exist. It’s when God’s preparation is adhered to, when we obey his gameplan, that our life can be one of fulfillment and victory. John Wooden understood, taught, and lived this as a coach and as a man of God. How prepared are you to meet each day for God?

“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness…choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord…the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they revered him all the days of his life…”  (Joshua 24 & 5)

John Wooden enjoyed watching the Indiana State Teacher’s College (now Indiana State University) football team and also walking to the college each morning durng his two year tenure as ISU’s basketball coach. You’re probably wondering how those two relate. It was during both of those times that the Coach and my Dad became acquainted. Dad was the starting fullback and middle linebacker on the football team and he and my Mom’s apartment was on Coach’s route to the college. Subsequently, Dad and Coach started walking to school together and engaged in conversations about sports, academics, the war (both of them were Navy veterans), marriage (my parents were newly weds), faith, and life in general. Those moments left an indelible impression on my Dad as he has spoken of John Wooden often during his life. I asked Dad what impressed him most about the man. Without hesitation, Dad described the “Wizard of Westwood” as a gentleman with unwavering character; a man who was always kind and considerate to whomever he was with causing them to feel good about themself.

John Wooden’s character gave life to his words.

“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation. Your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are.“

I believe that God brought John Wooden into my Dad’s life during a key time in Dad’s personal development. Although, he never again saw or spoke to the Coach after he left for UCLA, Dad went on to become a successful high school football coach and principal who was known in his community as a man of unwavering character, uncompromising faith, and unbiased kindness to all. Thank you, John Wooden, for helping to shape my Dad into the wonderful man he’s become.

“You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.“  (John Wooden)

“For this reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness knowledge; and to knowledge self control; and to self control perseverence; and to perseverence godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness love.”  (2 Peter 1:5, 6)

John Wooden won a state basketball championship in high school, a national basketball title in college, was the national college player of the year while playing at Purdue, was drafted by the Boston Celtics, New York Yankees, and Chicago Bears, coached 10 national basketball titles at UCLA, was considered by most of his peers to be the greatest college basketball coach of all time, is one of only three individuals to be inducted into the basketball hall of fame as a player and as a coach, has written numerous best selling books, been quoted like a 2oth and 21st century Will Rogers or Mark Twain and has pretty much been a household name for over eighty years when the talk is of basketball. Not a bad resume and I could have added more.

Coach Wooden’s take on it all was simply, “Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.” Those words epitomize to me essential ingredients of a Christ centered life. Jesus taught humility, lived humility, honored humility, and accepts nothing less of his disciples. John Wooden was known as much for his humble, kind spirit as he was for his basketball accomplishments and in doing so exhibited as much about Jesus Christ to the world as he did basketball.  What does your life exhibit?

“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5)

“What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? (Matthew 16:26)

Surely you have heard, read, or seen that legendary coach John Wooden died on Friday. He was lengendary in the minds of basketball players, fans, coaches, analysts, and the record books but far be it for “the coach” to ever consider such a distinction in his own mind. Much that Coach Wooden has said and even more that has been said about him defines who he was and what his life stood for.  This week’s Seeking God Daily is dedicated to the legacy he left us; not as a great coach but as a humble man of God. I’ve selected seven of John’s quotes that have been  an encouragement to me as I seek God daily and I pray that they will bless you as well.

“I have always tried to make it clear that basketball is not the ultimate. It is of small importance in comparison to the total life we live. There is only one kind of life that truly wins, and that is the one that places faith in the hands of the Savior. Until that is done, we are on an aimless course that runs in circles and goes nowhere.” 

Growing up as a kid I permitted sports to have center stage in my life. As a young man my wife and children had most of my attention. At the height of my ministry years I often found myself more concerned with doing things in the name of Jesus than seeking to becoming like Jesus. What is of ultimate importance to your life? Your family, friends, fortunes, fun, _____________ (fill in the blank) or what about your faith?  With all of the fame and acclaim John Wooden received in his life I believe he clearly understood what really mattered. “If I were ever prosecuted for my faith, I truly hope there would be enough evidence to convict me.” Is that the desire of your heart?

“But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ…I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…”  (Philippians 4:8, 9)