“Take better care of my basketball!”
How often I’d hear Coach Smith say this to his team. He knew that we had only so many possessions in a game, so when we turned the ball over, we gave our opponent more opportunities to score. Which would usually result in a loss for us.
Of course, it wasn’t really Coach Smith’s basketball. But he did control the game. Who would play. Who wouldn’t. How many minutes of game time each player would have.
Eventually, we all came to realize that the better we would take care of “his” basketball, the more playing time we’d get. And the better we would play as a team.
I wonder how differently each of us would live our lives if we truly believed that we should take better care of God’s “basketball?” His life that he gave us. His possessions he’s loaned us to oversee and steward for our temporary years on earth.
I think this world would function better. And we would feel no worry about facing our eternal Coach one day when he asks us about how we handled his “basketball.” His world, and his gifts he gave us to use while here.
“The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1).
Let’s all take better care of God’s basketball.
For his glory alone.