As a football player in high school, I looked forward more to the actual games than I did to the routine practices. Dreams of glory filled my mind for the games, even though some of those dreams were unfulfilled, and a few even turned into nightmares. I knew nothing but hard work and jarring impacts were awaiting me at the practices.
However, my attitude toward practices changed when Kenny Olson, my athletic, twenty-four year old, pastor told me he was coming to watch me practice the next day. Suddenly I found myself looking forward to that practice. I wanted to do well in his eyes.
The next day practice began, but Kenny hadn’t arrived yet. Although my normal position was running back, in scrimmage that day I was playing defensive back. The one guy I always hated to tackle was Joe Doolittle, a hard running fullback weighing in at 205 pounds of chiseled muscle. I weighed only 155 pounds. So, whenever I went to tackle Joe, I could pretty well anticipate my bones being rattled.
Just as I spotted Kenny walking through the gate toward the sideline, Joe got the ball and, with his head down, came charging directly at me. I was the only one between him and the end zone. With a resolve to look good for Kenny, I rammed into Joe with more intensity than I usually gave. It was a huge collision, and a surprised Joe came down, right on top of me. However, he quickly jumped up and trotted back to the huddle.
I got up more slowly, hoping nothing was broken and shaking my head, trying to clear out the cobwebs. Then, Kenny's voice boomed from the sideline, “Way to go, Wes! You really gave it to him!” His words were like a shot of adrenaline, and although I knew who “gave it” to whom, I jogged back to the defensive huddle ready to do it again.
Hindsight: I perform better in whatever I'm doing when I have the right audience. God wants me to focus on Him as my only audience.
Please feel free to comment on this hindsight. You might have found the same to be true with you.
On Monday, another look back, and another hindsight.
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