Finish Well

Do we finish things well?  The answer is probably Yes and No—some things we do, some things we don’t.  Everything we do has a finish point—it’s not an option……

·         Kids grow up and leave our house (maybe/hopefully!)

·         Our jobs end sometimes at our choice and sometimes not by our choice.

·         Officials advance to the next level, get a better or worse season rating, change positions, change conferences, retire, or don’t get asked back.

No matter what stage we are at, how we finish is important.  Not only is it important to finish, it is equally or more important to finish with the right attitude.  Because how we finish our current assignment will likely determine our next assignment.

In 1 Peter 5:10, Peter explains the hope, determination, and strength of finishing strong…..

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

Notice the first part of this verse…”…suffered for a little while.”  In most anything we do, suffering is a part of it.  In officiating, suffering is certainly part of the business-- waiting on the next opportunity to advance, making an game impacting call that’s incorrect, getting injured, receiving a bad rating, or not getting an assignment we thought we would get or thought we deserved more than someone else.

However, in situations we find ourselves down or “suffering”, if we press on and focus on finishing strong, this verse first states it will only last “a little while.”  Then, what lies ahead is restoration, conformation, and strength which will “establish you”—meaning settle and fix us firmly.  Being established could be the most vital one for officials.  When faced with a difficult situation, our hearts and minds often get “unsettled.”  However, relying on past experiences and coming through those times can help us be “established” or ”settled” to make it to the finish—and to do it well. 

So, no matter your situation or position—a first year official ending your first year or a seasoned official ending your career, finish well—because how you finish will likely determine your next assignment!

GREATNESS

GREATNESS

Legendary coach John Wooden coined a phrase “competitive greatness”--striving to be the best we can, not trying to be the best.   Coach Wooden defined competitive greatness as a real love for hard battle, knowing it offers the opportunity to be at our best when our best is required.

Three concepts help grasp competitive greatness:

1)       Be Prepared! Wooden would spend 30 minutes teaching his players to put on socks. He said “I derived great satisfaction from identifying and perfecting those ‘trivial’ and often troublesome details, because I knew . . . that each one brought UCLA a bit closer to our goal: competitive greatness.” Having a passion to prepare will help us face the battle without fear.

2)       Be Disciplined! If integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching, then competitive greatness is working hard when no one is watching. Martin Luther wrote, “The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays—not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors. The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.”

3)       Be Focused! Competitive greatness is focusing on a clear vision and not being sidetracked. Bill Hybels says vision is a picture of the future that produces passion.

Proverbs 2:7 (NIV)   He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless.