I grew up playing basketball.
It was my life all through high school and a couple years into college.
I lived, breathed, slept, and ate basketball.
I spent endless hours in my driveway in the rain, sun, and snow.
When I wasn’t in my driveway, I was probably in the gym or in a friend’s driveway.
If I wasn’t there, I was probably watching an NBA game on TV.
When I got to college, the college basketball scene swept over me.
I now spent hours on the court, in the weight room, or running to stay in shape.
When I wasn’t working out, I was resting on my couch watching basketball games.
Because basketball was such a big part of my life, my childhood hero was Michael Jordan, a.k.a. His Airness or Air Jordan.
He was absolutely amazing.
He owned people both on offense and on defense.
He completely took over games.
He always came through in big situations.
He is the best player that ever was and ever will be, in my eyes.
He was so elite that he wasn’t on most video games because his name was worth so much.
On these video games the Chicago Bulls always had a number 23.
But that wasn’t enough for me.
I created him just so I could see his name on the screen.
Then I would max out all this stats so I would have this super human basketball machine on my team.
He would never miss, never turn the ball over, and always get steals.
He was amazing.
I always wanted to be just like him.
I wanted to know every possible thing I could about MJ.
I wanted to Be Like Mike.
I drank Gatorade.
I wore Air Jordan basketball shoes.
I bought Hanes underwear.
I watched Space Jam a hundred times.
When I ate Wheaties, I really felt like a champion because Michael Jordan ate them too.
I wore a Nike Swoosh necklace.
I listened to the “Be Like Mike” song probably a million times while shooting hoops in by driveway.
I had posters on my wall.
I had his t-shirt.
I would watch him on TV.
I read his books.
I studied his life.
All this stuff was great for me.
In fact, it probably inspired me a little.
I might have spent some extra time in the driveway practicing, so it probably made me a little better.
It made me feel good to dream and want to be like him.
But I wonder what would have happened if I would have known Michael Jordan.
I wonder what it would have been like to sit down with him and talk to him.
I wonder what it would have been like to have him there with me as I practiced and got better.
I believe he would have picked my game apart, and he would have shown me how to correct the little things that would have made a big difference.
I bet he would have pushed me a little bit more if I knew him, if I knew he was there with me, and if I could feel his presence in the room with me.
I think he even would have taught me some of his secrets, which probably wouldn’t even be that secret, just so obvious that I overlooked them.
I still probably would have never been nearly as good as him, but I would have learned a lot just by being with him and having him walk me through certain things.
I would have become much more like him.
I bet the difference between knowing about him and knowing him would have made a huge impact on my basketball life.
I bet that instead of dreaming about a different basketball life, I would have lived a different basketball life, probably not exactly like his, but more in line with his.
But really, knowing Michael Jordan wasn’t really an option for me.
I couldn’t make the decisions to call him up or go visit him.
I wasn’t born into his circle of family and friends.
I didn’t know the right people.
For some strange reason, trust me it boggles my mind just as much as it does yours, I didn’t ever bump into him on the streets of Jordan, Minnesota.
So all I could really do was dream and try to know about him.
Today, basketball still has a place in my heart.
I can’t walk by a basketball game without stopping to watch.
I still think Michael Jordan is the best basketball player ever.
But I have a new hero now.
Jesus.
His life is amazing to me.
I want to be just like Him.
But sometimes I feel like I am making the same mistake with Jesus that I made with Michael Jordan.
For example…wearing a swoosh necklace didn’t make me more like MJ, so why do I think that wearing a cross makes me more like Jesus?
Listening to “Be Like Mike” didn’t make me more like MJ, so why would listening to Christian songs make me more like Jesus?
Putting posters on my wall didn’t make me more like MJ, so why would putting crosses or pictures with bible verses on my wall make me more like Jesus?
A Chicago Bulls t-shirt didn’t make me more like MJ, so why would wearing a Christian t-shirt make me more like Jesus?
Owning a copy of Space Jam didn’t make me more like MJ, so why would owning a copy of The Passion make me more like Jesus?
Reading a book about Michael Jordan doesn’t make me more like him, so why would reading the bible make me more like Jesus?
(I just want to note that the bible is amazing and God uses it to speak straight into my heart, the act of reading the bible alone does nothing for me unless I let it into my heart.)
However, this is something that Jesus and I are working on in my life.
I know about Jesus and that makes me feel good, but I bet the difference between knowing about Him and knowing Him would make a huge impact on my life.
I bet that instead of dreaming about a different life, I could actually live a different life.
That is what I want to experience.
That is what God has planned for me.
And for you too.
I am just beginning to know Jesus.
I wonder what will happen as I sit down with Him and talk to Him.
I wonder what it will be like to have Him there with me as I practice and get better.
I believe He will pick my life apart, and He will show me how to correct the little things that will make a big difference.
I bet He will push me a little bit more now that I know Him, now that I know He is there with me, and now that I can feel His presence in the room with me.
I think He will even teach me some of his secrets, which probably aren’t even that secret, just so obvious that I overlook them.
I still probably will never be nearly as good as Him, but I will learn a lot just by being with Him and having Him walk me through certain things.
I will become much more like Him.
I just want to share a couple verses from the bible that are working in my heart right now.
The first one can be found in James 1:22-25, and it goes like this,
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.
Do what it says.
Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
The second can be found in James 2:14-20 and it goes like this,
My brothers and sisters, if people say they have faith, but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing.
Can faith like that save them?
A brother or sister in Christ might need clothes or food.
If you say to that person, “God be with you! I hope you stay warm and get plenty to eat,” but you do not give what that person needs; your words are worth nothing.
In the same way, faith by itself—that does nothing—is dead.
Someone might say, “You have faith, but I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without doing anything, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
You believe there is one God.
Good!
But the demons believe that, too, and they tremble with fear.
You foolish person! Must you be shown that faith that does nothing is worth nothing?
I have to be careful when I read these verses not to get out my “How to get into heaven checklist.”
Because it isn’t about doing things for the sake of doing things.
It isn’t about doing things for a resume.
It isn’t about doing things when it will benefit me someway.
It is about sacrifice and doing things out of love for God and others.
I believe that once that relationship with Jesus is formed, the doing part is just natural and it flows out of you because of the love that is flowing into you.
Hey Jesus!
I just want to thank You for being You!
I know that You want to have a relationship with me and that You want to help me to be more like You.
Thank You for showing me that You don’t necessarily want me to know about You, but You want me to know You.
You want us to be one and the same.
You want us to have the same loving heart.
I just ask that You would be with me…let me feel your presence.
Point out the things that You would want me to change so that I can be more like You and give me the courage and the strength to do so.
You are my hero and I want to be just like You.
