Session 3: Praus in action

It is often the case that the most talented athletes or teams fail to win races, matches and competitions when it really matters. Why?

Let's start by saying this: Talent on its own isn't enough. Yes it is a cliché but it is also true. Think of your favourite sport and list the times where the most superior individual or team lost out to the so called underdogs. It happens a lot (and that's why sport is fun).

What's going on? Why is it so common for the most outrageously talented footballers to never make it in professional football? Why is it so common to see shock results in the NFL? What is going on when the best rugby team on the planet fail to win the Rugby World Cup?

There are of course a number of reasons but one of the most common is this: The player or team are unable to use/maximise their skills, talent, gifts because they do not have control of themselves. Sometimes, that is due to their ego or an inability to control emotions (the good or bad ones) or that when the pressure is on, they lose their ability to cope with it.

We see this quite often. For example, a season doesn't go by where an ex-footballer talks about the, "best player they ever saw in training" never making it due to attitude problems. Last year, some football and rugby teams exploded with pure bliss and joy when they scored a goal or try whilst in a title challenge even though winning the trophy was still someway off. That unbridled grip of emotions would eventually be their undoing when the joy turned to setbacks and they lost sight of the talent that got them there in the first place. It's the reason why a certain international rugby team conceded a try to 12 men very recently (Authors note: This may be my last post!).

 A great coach understands what Jesus meant when he said, "Blessed are the meek (Praus) for they will inherit the earth". Help your players to do the inner work needed to take control of their talent and everything that comes with it, and watch them perform better and more consistently.

Praus characters alter history

The American Civil War was brutal. An estimated 750,000 people died as a result of the conflict between the northern and southern states.

The President of the United States at the time was Abraham Lincoln, who suffered terribly during the war. He was desperate to hold the nation together and felt keenly the losses of every soldier who perished as a result of the battle. At the same time, he was grieving the loss of his son, who died aged 11 from a fever. The weight of the war, on top of his personal pains, left him deeply depressed, and times resulted in him being locked in his bedroom to ensure he didn't take his own life.

He led admirably though and helped guide the States to a historic point. The beginning of the end for legalised slavery and victory over the southern states. Given all that he endured at the hands of the leaders of the southern states, we could all perhaps forgive Lincoln if he took his wrath out on them after they surrendered. But he didn't.

When the Confederates surrendered in 1865, giving up their attempt to split from the rest of the United States, Lincoln made it clear that he didn’t want any of their leaders or troops to be executed. He knew that compassion and kindness had healed his fractured soul and as such could heal a divided nation too. He laid down all of his emotions to do what is best for the people who made up the United States. Who knows where they would be today had he took revenge, stirring up the pot of resentment even further.

Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth.

Read today's scripture. Come back and answer the following questions:

1. Can you think of examples of sporting successes and failures in which individuals did or did not act with praus character?

   
   

2. Thinking about the Abraham Lincoln example, why do you think it was so important he had a control of his emotions in this moment? How does it demonstrate what Jesus said about the meek (praus) inheriting the earth?

3. In today's scripture, we meet David at a real low point. How he reacted would dictate what happened from there. What was his emotional state in response to the kidnappings and his people turning on him? How did he demonstrate praus character in his response to it?

Scripture: 1 Samuel 30