Still Bad at Sports

I have never really been all that good at sports. In school, I wasn't necessarily the last kid picked in gym. I was actually one of the first for some reason. Probably because kids all had the notion that because Kameron was fast and black, he must be good at sports. Yea... I thought that too. I was always reminded of my lack of athletic ability on a pretty consistent basis. All was fun and games when playing with my brothers because we just wanted to have fun. However when playing with others, the ball of reality was ever a fast pitch to the face. Since losing my teeth to a fast pitch to the face, my fear of balls has also increased. They say face your fears. So I guess I'll go stand in a court and let everyone throw balls at me.... 

This athletic deficit has only followed me since being in India. I normally like to play volleyball with the guys. I was never all that good at it. When things started Goin on the up up skill wise, it would crash just as fast as it went up. I normally just play for good fun because I'm not good, but as we all know, competition is a serious thing for males. 

The guys are all fairly good at volleyball even with their vertical challenges (the net is a little short however). I'm kinda just there, trying to be good. As I have played with the guys and made many many mistakes, I have realized there are 4 different ppl in sports: 

The first is the the person who has no idea what they are doing. They simply play because they were either forced or don't want to be left out. They are often scolded for their bad play and eventually make some excuse to leave the game early. 

Then there is the person who is actually pretty good at the game and encourages everyone around to keep playing and do their best. This person is the most liked because you want to follow their example in sport and attitude. 

Then there is the person who is kinda in the middle. This person plays the sport for fun. He is good one day, bad the next. He attempts to succeed in good play and actually be a support for the team. Sometimes he is the downfall of the team. This person isn't normally scolded often because at least they don't make complete mistakes at every turn. Even so, they are self conscious and insecure about their playing ability and eventually also make an excuse to leave the game early. Especially when one of the other guys, in a cheery smile, offers to take your spot and puts you in a different position. This is when the last straw is normally pulled and it's definitely time to go.  This person described would be me...

And finally there is the hot shot all star. He plays all he positions. He also coaches everyone on how to properly play and scolds for every bad move. When he puts the "I" in team and makes a mistake, instead of accepting that he can't do it all or made a mistake, he makes an excuse which saves face but normally puts blame on another player. This person is never wrong and the best. In everything. They think. This person is only liked by some. He's a good player but you'd rather not be around him when on the court for fear of getting yelled at or other things. This person is brother Davin.

After realizing this, I still decided I would play volleyball here with the guys. Some days everyone is playing lazily and that's really fun. We laugh a lot and all make mistakes. Other days like today, the game is real and I'm kinda holding the team back. And so I pray the game ends quick or I can find an excuse to leave early. 

Even with all these sad realities surrounding my sub par athletic abilities, I am reminded that we can't be good at everything. We can't be the athletic jock, book worm, and artist from the seed of Michelangelo. The that's not how God made us. As pieces of the body of Christ, we can't all be the eye because then we couldn't hear. If we were all the feet then how could we see where we were going. And so on. So at times like today where I play like I have no arms and legs, I am reminded that I have some other talents. I can hold an "ok" tune. I know how to cook and not starve. I know how to crochet which if you think about it, I can make my own clothes even if it looks like my blind dog dressed me. I'm pretty good at making people laugh and don't mind being silly for the sake of making others comfortable. Someone has to put themselves out there. I think I give pretty good hugs and I'm good at long distance communication. All these things make me, me. And I think that without being who I was created to be, I would be doing the Lord a disservice by trying to be the hand or the feet when I am the nose or the leg. Can I serve the Lord best in areas in which the talent simply isn't there? Or should I simply but most importantly use the talents I do have to glorify God to the fullest? Make a good meal to feed a hungry family or try to teach some musicians how to play their instruments when I can't even read music. We can't do it all. That's something important to know. And yet, we can and should do something. We should love. We should serve. We should give it our all. And we should do all this while glorifying God who is working in us.

I was reminded recently that with man, nothing is possible. But with God, all things are possible. So yea, I cant hit balls; but I can do something else and still lead someone to Christ. And that, I believe, makes the Lord smile.

Alabanza.