Over the last two weeks, I’ve played a ton of basketball. It’s been fun to get out on the court again and trick myself into exercising. I refuse to run in circles around a track but I will play as many games of basketball as my body will take. The World Racers have made it competitive out there, but in the end, it’s still ministry. I’m beginning to learn that more and more. What many may see as random pick up games or excuses for exercise, I’m beginning to see them as potential for kingdom work.
Benhard is typically our referee for the games, and he makes a pretty decent living doing that. When we showed up to play our first night, I could sense the home court advantage and had to suppress some very “natural” emotions. I finally had to pull Benhard aside and ask him if he really wanted us to play or not. Judging by the way he was calling the game, it didn’t seem like he wanted us back. It got worse before it got better and even though we ended up winning the first game, I could see the frustration on the Racers’ faces because of how unfair the playing field was.
Two new teams took the court for the next game and Benhard got a break from calling the game. I just went over to talk with him and he tried to keep making excuses for why he had to go. I didn’t want to put up a fight with him, so I just asked him to be a little more hospitable and welcoming because all of the Americans weren’t too fond of him and his “refereeing”. It was pretty obvious he didn’t like that comment, but he just kept walking. Dear God, I hope I didn’t ruin something.
The next game, we were back on the court and so was Benhard. Our group was immediately disappointed. I went to joke with Benhard pregame, and he seemed to take it well. Throughout the whole game, there were rough calls on both sides, but all in all, it was pretty fair. Whenever Benhard would blow his whistle, I’d shoot him a look, and he’d just start laughing. It started to be a little joke and before long, Benhard just let us play. I fouled a guy one time and looked over for him to blow the whistle. When he didn’t, I turned back to play, only to hear the whistle two seconds later. I guess I was standing too close to the guy I was defending, but I deserved it.
When the game finished up, Benhard and I were laughing. I told him I didn’t want anyone else “reffing” our games, and he told me he didn’t want to see us playing anywhere else. I asked him if he liked us now. He just laughed and said, he’d at least let us keep coming to play. While Benhard still referees while chain smoking, he and I have been able to have some fun conversations. There’s still home court advantage, and he’ll call some made up foul on me once or so a game, but he’ll laugh each time. I’m pretty sure that for him, he still likes having us around. And while I love to win, life is relational, and if I need to lose to become a local, then I’ll take my lumps. Tomorrow night is a new night however, and I told him I didn’t plan on losing too many more…
