Lent@Landmark: Day 31

I’ve watched a few post-game press conferences at the end of the NCAA Men’s and Women’s March Madness Basketball games the last few weeks. 18 to 22-year-olds are thrust into the limelight with cameras broadcasting their wins and losses to the entire world, and then microphones and cameras are thrust into their faces seconds after the last buzzer sounds as reporters asking them all about it. They’re usually still catching their breath from the end of the game as they answer questions!

The questions are worded in a variety of ways, but they tend to ask for the same thing: “Tell us about how awesome you were in this game, because we all watched the game and thought you were awesome.”

The beautiful thing about these moments have been the ways that these young players deflect this praise away from themselves and onto their coaches and teammates. It’s reminded me of Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth.

He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." (1Corinthians 1:30-31)

In an era so full of voices proclaiming their own greatness and constantly seeking “likes” and “follows,” these student-athletes have been a great example to us all. May we all remember the many shoulders upon which we stand in our own moments of success! —MH