The Greatest Strength

The virtue of Charity - Love - is the most important virtue. It is the greatest strength a human being can have. It is often overlooked in sports. Lexington Head Basketball Coach Greg Williams gives an outstanding perspective here below.

1 Corinthians 13 for Coaches and Spouses

1 If I could understand and communicate all the plays in all the play books but didn't love my players or communicate love to my spouse, I would only be meaninglessly coaching with a loud megaphone or a shrill whistle.

2 If I had the gift of understanding the whole of the game, and if I knew all the subtleties of my own team and all others and knew everything about everything, but didn't love others, especially my spouse what good would I be? And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to any issue or problem and resolve it with a WIN, without love I would be no good to anyone.

3 If I modeled the ultimate discipline and sacrificed my body for the good of the team, sure, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would be of no real lasting value to anyone. 

4 Love is patient and kind even when my team doesn’t win and my players aren’t “getting it” as quickly as I think they should or my spouse isn’t as passionate about the sport as I am. Love is not jealous of other teams, coaches or successes nor is it boastful or proud of my own.

5 It is certainly not rude toward anyone - refs, umpires, opposing coaches, teams, schools and especially not to my spouse or children - after a hard fought loss (or win). Love does not demand its own way but finds a way to encourage the best in others in every situation. Love is not irritable when others don’t feel as great as I do after a victory or as low as I do after a loss.  It doesn’t keep score when others wrong me, whether the wrong is their fault or mine.

6 It never feels good or is excited about wrong even when it may work in my favor but rejoices whenever the Truth wins out.  When Truth and Love win it is always the greatest of victories.

7 Love never quits and never loses faith (talk about discipline and perseverance required for success), is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance because it is not based on ups and downs or wins and losses but rather on commitment to the best in all others, first and foremost our spouse and children, regardless of the talent, situation or score.

8 Love will last forever, but playbooks and coaching tapes from the greatest coaches of all time will all disappear.

9 Now we know only a little, although many of us are caught up in our successes and what we know and even continued successes adds a little more to what we know and our influence!

10 But when it’s all said and done, all the victories, all the losses, all the buzzer beaters and last second heroics will disappear.

11 So here’s how it really is: When I was young and immature as a coach, spouse, parent, I spoke and thought and reasoned immaturely. But as I’ve grown, I put away my immature thoughts and actions (whether in competition, marriage, parenting or whatever) based in my flesh and immediate gratification and recognition for me.

12 Now though we can only see things partially or vaguely, but when the last whistle blows, the last buzzer sounds and the last horn goes off,  we will see everything with perfect clarity.  You see, right now I only see things partially or incompletely, but when it’s all over,  I will finally have the capacity to see and understand it all, just as God knows me now.  Why? Because…

13 There are three things that will last – not trophies, Hall of Fame honors or championships – no, what will last is faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love.

What/Who are you truly committed to (Love)?  Is it in line with the right priorities?  Is it really going to last?  

Don’t ever forget who/what God has placed in your life and what it’s really all about!!!

Learn the power, toughness, compassion and gentleness of real Love and watch it transform your life, your marriage, your spouse, your children, your teams, your influence, yours and other’s Eternity!

By Greg Williams

1 Corinthians Chapter 13

If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, (love) is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. For we know partially and we prophesy partially, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things. At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.