How's your training as a biblical leader?
Adobe Stock
Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
—1 Corinthians 9:25
Being a consistent biblical leader is tough. It takes discipline. The kind of discipline that Herb Brooks demanded from every one of his players.
In 1979, Brooks took the helm of the US hockey team, which was essentially a collection of college players. Most people just hoped that the team wouldn't embarrass itself at the 1980 Winter Olympics.
Brooks had higher goals. He wanted more than a team that was competitive. He wanted to beat every opponent, including a Soviet "machine" that had won four straight Olympic gold medals. To have a shot, his team needed three things: cohesiveness, stamina, and toughness.
At tryouts, Brooks selected not the best players, but the twenty young men best able to contribute to team success. And he ran them ragged, at practices and in sixty-three exhibition games. "We may not be the best team, but we're going to be the best-conditioned team," he told them frequently.
This point was brought home, quite painfully, after a lackluster showing in an exhibition game in Norway.
When the players got to the locker room, Brooks told them to get back on the ice for skate-sprints dubbed "Herbies," where one sprint was blue line and back, red line and back, far blue line and back, and goal line and back.
As the Herbies continued, the rink manager told the team they had to leave. Brooks replied to give him the keys and he'd lock up. When the rink manager turned off the lights and left, Brooks had the players skate in the dark. The team physician implored Brooks to stop for the players' health and safety. Brooks ignored him.
With Brooks yelling "Again!" over and over, they did Herbies for an hour. After that experience, the players never gave Brooks another lackluster performance.
By the time it got to Lake Placid, the US team was, indeed, the best-conditioned team in the world. No opponent could skate with the Americans in the final period. Team USA used that stamina to stage a come-from-behind win in each of its first five games.
Then it was the semifinals against the dreaded Soviets, who had beaten the Americans 10-3 in an exhibition less than two weeks earlier.
Behind thirty-six saves from goalkeeper Jim Craig, the US team staged yet another comeback and, with a late goal by captain Mike Eruzione, won 4-3. Two days later, the team captured the gold in, of course, another comeback.
As the US hockey team discovered in Norway, the more you self-discipline, the less you have to be disciplined. But even the most self-disciplined person sometimes needs help from others.
Novak Djokovic had a reputation for being a talented tennis player with no stamina. He trained as hard as anyone but wilted in long matches.
A doctor with little interest in tennis happened to witness Djokovic's collapse in the 2010 Australian Open quarterfinals and knew what was wrong. Six months later, the doctor connected with Djokovic and proved it: the player was allergic to wheat and dairy.
Once Djokovic eliminated the allergens from his diet, he became one of the fittest players and rose to number one in the world, a position has he has held for more weeks than any other male tennis player in history.
In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul uses a sports analogy. Athletes train hard. They are self-disciplined. They compete. But only one wins, and his prize is fleeting. A Christian's prize, however, is everlasting.
How's your training going? Maybe you need to get back on the end line.
Again!
This devotion is adapted from52 Weeks of Strength for Men, by Chris Bolinger.
 | Chris Bolinger is the author of three men’s devotionals – 52 Weeks of Strength for Men, Daily Strength for Men, and Fuerzas para Cada Día para el Hombre – and the co-host of the Throwing Mountains podcast. He splits his time between northeast Ohio and southwest Florida. Against the advice of medical professionals, he remains a die-hard fan of Cleveland pro sports teams. Find him at mensdevotionals.com. Learn More » |
More on Leadership Development & Discipleship
- The return of glory: rediscovering God’s presence (by David Bowman)
- 3 ways to improve decision making and build a stronger culture (by Jenni Catron)
- Traits of catalytic leaders (by Charles Stone)
- Eight essentials for guest-friendly church bulletins (by Thom Rainer)
