Success and Failure Blog

It’s official. LeBron James has announced on ESPN he will sign with the Miami Heat. A story with a lot of speculation has finally ended. Now, one of the best NBA players today has his next few years set.

This is important, because in all this talk about his loyalty, when “King James” might win an NBA title, or whether Chris Bosh might have refused to join him in Cleveland or not, there are other things to look at in this story: things such as talent, money, loyalty, and the manning of life.

Really. Because, no matter what happened with him, there is a faithful friend to save you from the evils of this world, help you build Heavenly treasures that last forever, and, help you make the right decisions, no matter what.

1. Obviously, it means he’s got a lot of basketball talent. Top actors get millions of dollars for acting talent. Top athletes get the same for athletic talent. Their jobs, as entertainers, aren’t as crucial as many others, but they share one thing: In this society, they can earn tons of money based on the fact they’ve used their God-given talent to the best of their ability.

We don’t often think about actors and actresses making millions per role, because we only see them in movies or on TV. They’ve gotten their millions long before the movie or show we see. If it bombs, they can hide behind the character, or the script gets blamed. Athletes, on the other hand, do what they do thousands of times a season – shoot a ball, throw, putt, what have you. Their misses pile up more than that performer’s one big miss on the big screen or TV, which is surrounded by so much else.

Both, however, use abilities that aren’t their own. Sure, hours of practice a day pays off, and some have to work harder. But, most people couldn’t shoot a basketball while being guarded like even the worst NBA player, even practicing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Most people couldn’t memorize every line flawlessly, doing all the proper inflections and really bringing a character to life, for months at a time. Yes, there are club pros in golf and local radio station voice actors who pitch great local businesses. But, these are far cries from Tiger Woods or Tom Hanks – or even the Maytag Repairman.

Jesus tells us to consider the gifts God gave us, and thank Him for them. None of us can add an inch to our stature by mere thought.(Mat. 6:27) We can’t just think and suddenly become talented. God gives some people those talents, just as He gives some people other gifts, such as teaching, or the ability to learn manual skills like plumbing, or complex math.

Every one of us has different skills. You have a special skill, even if you don’t quite know what it is yet. If you put energy into it, you can accomplish great things with God’s help. However, remember that this skill is something you were born with, something given by God. We need to be thankful for our skills.

2. LeBron will also get a lot of money. No, some people don’t get as much money as others for their skills. And, some are certainly more important than acting or athletic ones. However, the important thing is, God sees and understands what you are given. And, He will reward you in the end, if you use it for Him and build treasure in Heaven.

The old maxim is true that money doesn’t buy happiness. It can buy things that make us happy for a time. Still, in the end, those things will grow old, wear out, lose value, or even, possibly, be taken from us. However, Heavenly treasure will be forever new, and can never be taken away. This means that LeBron will get a lot of something that will one day have no value. But, he can use it to build rewards in Heaven by helping others.

However, God doesn’t care about how much money we have here on earth. He cares about our heart. He knows our hearts, and just wants us to give what we have for Him. He doesn’t care that we don’t have a lot – Jeuss said that s widow who gave a few little coins as an offering had given more than a rich person who gave millions.

Even when we mess up and go after our own desires, though, God will lovingly call us back to Himself, so we can choose to do that which is right. Because, He is always loyal to us, alwys faithful even when we’re not.

3. Loyalty was discussed during the debate over where LeBron would go.

We need to keep focused on the one who is always loyal and faithful, though. It’s easy to put our trust in people. However, God has given us His Word, that He had something special for us. He has a plan for each person’s life that is better than we could ever plan for ourselves. He has a plan for LeBron’s life. Whether LeBron followed God’s plan, I’m not sure; nobody can know his heart for certain but God Himself.

We know one thing, though. Since different people wanted different things, God’s plan went against some peoples’ idea of what he should do. That’s normal, and it shows that our ways aren’t always best. If LeBron doesn’t know God personally, God can use this to lovingly draw LeBron to Him.

When we don’t like what goes on in our lives, all we have to do is trust in God. He will always do what’s best for us. Each of us is where we are in life today, because God has put us there, or God – in His love giving us free will to choose – allowed us to get there so God could help us to learn more about His great love for us. That is the loyalty God has for us, always working to make things better in our lives, though we sometimes flat refuse and turn away from Him.

The awesome thing is, He can be loyal to all who have received Him at once, as He lovingly calls those who haven’t. Because, He has ways to work things for the best for each of us in the end. Romans 8:28 promises that “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose.”

So, no matter what, God can work it for good, along with all the other things in life. Because, God is always trying to work things together for good, to those who love Him; even if our choices get in the way. The story of LeBron James is one of a person who has made a lot out of his God-given talent, using it to play a game. I don’t know if he’s doing anything for the Lord to earn eternal treasures in Heaven, or if so, what it is. Only God knows his heart, and whether His perfect will played any role in LeBraon’s decision.

Life, though, is all about putting others first, and using those talent to bring glory and honor to God by drawing others to His great love. Because, He is willing that none perish, but that all come to repentance. He will be loyal to all who come to Him by faith.

It won’t always be just what we want, but for those who receive Him, they will have a faithful Friend who will live in them and always work things together for good.

How do I have that in my life?

It’s as easy as ABC – Admit, Believe, Choose.

A. Admit you need Him in your heart and life to save you. See, all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned each one to his own way. And, the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (Is. 53:6) This means all of us have turned away from Him. Oh, we might not have meant to, but we do, because we choose our own way.

LeBron is just like you and I and everyone else in one important way. All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (Rom. 3:23) That means we’ve all fallen short of His mark, which is perfection. Whether he chose what God wanted, I don’t know, but each of us has sinned – that means we’ve fallen short of God’s standard of perfection.

We need saved from that sin, because only then can we have that relationship with God here, and be in His perfect Heaven someday; a place where there is no pain, no suffering, no tears. Nobody can do mean stuff there. No one can imagine the wonderful things that will be there. There won’t be any sin, though, so we must accept we need God to take the punishment for our sins, and change us on the inside. The wages – what we earn – of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal lie through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom. 6:23)

Next is:
B Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. (Acts 16:31) That means to believe that Jesus Christ is God in flesh (John 1:1, 14; 10:30; etc.), and that He took your punishment for your sin when he died on the cross for you and rose from the dead. He shed His blood for you; because that was the only price high enough to cleanse this whole world from sin. He died for you, but then, He rose from the dead, just as He will raise us one day, some to eternal life, some to everlasting destruction.

You must believe that He took the whole punishment for your sins when He did that. There is nothing you could do, because none of us can achieve perfection. And, He has to make it perfect, or it wouldn’t be Heaven. If He let even one drop of sin into Heaven, there would be suffering somewhere, or pain, or something else bad. Then, it wouldn’t be Heaven. So, He has to keep all sin out.

Finally,
C. Choose to repent and receive Him as your personal Savior. That means that you need to choose to let Him make you new on the inside. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, all things are become new. (2 Cor. 5:17)

Once you have done that, you can know for sure you in his family (1 John 5:13), if you have received Him by simple faith. (John 1:12)

That’s how Jesus makes you fit for Heaven. He first changes you when you trust Him to save you by simple faith. You receive Him into your heart by calling on Him to save you and repenting – turning from your sin. Once you invite Him into your heart, Jesus lives in you through God the Holy Spirit. Then, He will help you grow to be more like Him; more loving, compassionate, and so on.

You can receive that now – while the prayer itself doesn’t save you, you can pray something like this, in your own words, and receive Him into your heart and life: “Dear Lord Jesus, I know I’m a sinner. I know I haven’t always done what’s right. I’ve tried my way, Lord, and I realize I need to trust You completely instead. I believe You died on the cross for my sins, and rose from the dead; You took my punishment for my sins, because I couldn’t get to Your perfect heaven myself. Lord Jesus, I invite You into my heart to live in me and change me on the inside, so I can follow Your perfect ways, and have a Friend to help me if I mess up. Thank you Lord Jesus, for hearing my prayer, saving my soul, and coming to live in my heart, In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

It’s not the prayer that saves. But, it’s your faith, which you can remember putting in Jesus easier when you have a time you know you prayed to receive Him.

And when you receive Him, He will never leave you, nor forsake you. (Heb. 13:5) He will help you to make all the right decisions, if you just trust Him, because He will always give wisdom to those who ask. (James 1:5)