Building 429 – “All The Glory” (Devotional)

So I was a basketball player first.  A great one? Maybe.  Good enough to play division I college ball?  Yes.  WhatΓÇÖs wrong with that you ask?  Well, nothing accept that it DEFINED ME in every way.  Something bad happens when anything other than Christ defines you. You either become Arrogant, or Desperate.  

In my situation it was the former.  I was extremely prideful about my abilities on a basketball court.  One day I talked too much trash on a court with someone who couldnΓÇÖt handle it.  He didnΓÇÖt give me a fair fight, he just hit me when I wasnΓÇÖt lookingΓǪΓǪ.. and I woke up in an ambulance.  I didnΓÇÖt know my name, my phone number, or my school.  NOTHINGΓǪ nadaΓǪ identity gone.  Not only that, but with one shot this guy broke my face.  I had lacerations from the inside of my eye all the way to the front of my nose.  A huge gash under my eyeΓǪ and six weeks to live with the deformation of my face while the swelling went down.  Then, after the 6 weeks,  I remember well the day they wheeled me back to surgery to re-break my face and put it all back in order.  

That day was so scary.  I had an epiphany that day.  I was tired of living for myself.  

Had God caused this guy to deck me???? No, the consequences of me trying to take all the glory had left me vulnerable to an attack by someone else who wanted the glory. Truthfully, we donΓÇÖt want the glory, because the glory makes us the target.  Can you handle everything that everyone throws at you?  No.  Can God? Uh Yeah.

You know what youΓÇÖre being asked to do??? Just point to Jesus.  If you winΓǪ point to Jesus.  If you lose…. point to Jesus.  The Glory thingΓǪ. ThatΓÇÖs His businessΓǪ He is glorious, and you get to take part in making His glory known.  In the good, and in the bad, HeΓÇÖs worthy of the praise and weΓÇÖre NOT.  So if you standΓǪ itΓÇÖs only because you are in His handsΓǪ. Because I promise Glory hogs always end up Arrogant or Desperate, and in some cases, both.  Who really wants to be either one of those things?  Pray for Humility today and rememberΓǪ just point to HIM!

Psalm 115:1