Anyone who is a fan of college basketball knows the name Johnny Wooden. He is in the Basketball Hall of Fame twice, once for his play in college at Purdue University, and once for his record as coach at UCLA. His teams won – not one, not two, but they won ten National Championships. In the twenty-seven years he coached there they never had a losing season. It is unlikely that their record of eighty-eight consecutive winning games will ever be matched. His nickname, “the Wizard of Westwood”, reveals his reputation among his peers.
He is famous for his “down home” colloquialisms that have been quoted so often. One such saying goes like this:
“In anything, failure to prepare is preparing to fail.”
It’s hard to argue with that. In one of his winning seasons he was quoted by a local news reporter as saying:
“I have warned my teams never to show extreme pleasure in winning, so that they may not face extreme disappointment when losing.”
We know where he’s coming from on that subject. Just get carried away with winning a big game and the next one just might rise up and bite you.
It probably works well in basketball and in athletics in general. As an axiom for life, however, it may not serve us so well. When applied to life, the word “bland” and “dull” may be the most apt description. In life you have to jump in “feet first” and take life as it comes. You cannot eliminate the possibility of pain of without reducing the possibility of life’s joys as well.
Such reasoning also wars against any deep commitment to a particular cause for fear of disappointment and/or injury. A young man in love, fearing rejection, could be tempted to decide not to seek the object of his love as his wife. “She might reject my proposal, so I will just go on my way in life alone.”
Again, there are many pitfalls in being a parent today. Disease and violence threatens us all, and our children may very well be targets of either. What can we do to prevent the pain that comes with such an experience? Some may choose to forego having any children. Yes, that might take away the pain of seeing our children hurt, but it takes away the joy that naturally comes from having those children in the first place. That is a lose/lose situation. Yes, there are dangers in life – but don’t hide under the bed all your life because of your fear.
How does this impact our life as a Christian? In many ways! Jesus’ earthly ministry lasted some three plus years. Therein He clearly laid His life on the line; He put everything into His time. It would have been “human” to seek ways less painful or shameful, but that was not His way. When offered a way to avoid the cross, He made it clear that He had no intention of hiding or finding a less painful and less shameful way of providing man a way of eternal salvation.
In Matthew 16 and Mark 8, Jesus informed His followers of His coming arrest, suffering and the danger that was to follow. Peter was frightened at the words, and he said, “Lord: this shall not be done unto thee,” Matthew 16:22. His disciples wanted Him to evade danger at the hands of the Sanhedrin. Jesus’ reply was:
“Get thee behind me, Satan: you are an offence unto Me: for you are not mindful of thingsofGod,butthe thingsofmen.”
It was that same Jesus who made it clear that to be His disciple one must “..seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” Matthew 6:33. It’s not enough to merely hang around the periphery, go along for the “ride,” but instead we must jump in “feet first” – or “head first if you like” – and take what comes. That is what Jesus wants – true followers!
No, if we want to follow Jesus we must be willing to put Him and His kingdom first in our priorities. Not a close second, but “first.” It is more than having one’s name “on the roll,” but in “the lamb’s book of life,” Revelation 20:15, 21:27.
The apostle Paul was warned of danger facing him, and was given an alternative,
Acts 21:8-13. His response:
“I am ready not only to be bound, but to die…” Both Jesus
and Paul lived life “feet first”.
