Showing Our Character

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- 2 Peter 1:5-8 -

During tennis camp, I introduced this verse to the team as a starting point, to think about the character of a Christian and how we might live like Christ. At the beginning of the season, we reviewed each step of this maturity process, even taking action to show our character by taking a practice to go out into the community and try to be Christ-like.

But as the season gets busy with matches, it is easy to take our eyes off our maturity, and turn them only to ourselves and to our tennis.

Yet, we badly need to continue to mature as people and as tennis players. Nowhere has that need been more evident than through the last week of tennis.

Where do we need "goodness?" Remember that goodness is about putting the good of everyone ahead of the good of yourself, and not begrudgingly, but with joy. Goodness is a desire to see everyone succeed. This is the part of the season when we are tempted to be selfish. Things like, "I think I could play that higher position. I want it." Or "I lost my match tonight, who cares about the team." Or, "Why invest in the JV when I'm a senior?"

Goodness overcomes these questions.

I'm not always 100% good. Last night, I noticed that I need to be aware of my own character. Locked in a difficult varsity match, I became totally absorbed in it. Joel Gerig came to ask if he should go out to play and I snapped at him. I was not willing to let go of the varsity match for Joel's good, for the JV's good. I was being selfish.

Joel - I apologize. But what a good reminder it was to me in reflection. Back at team camp, I said this season wouldn't be measured by wins and losses, but by how well we loved. The beginning of that process of loving is stepping outside of ourselves.

We will be a team committed to the good, not just committed to ourselves. Let us continue to learn, grow and mature. Make a stand for good today.

- Isaiah 1:17 (The Message) -
Learn to do good.
Work for justice.
Help the down-and-out.
Stand up for the homeless.
Go to bat for the defenseless.