Ohio State football’s memorabilia-for-cash and tattoos scandal forced coach Jim Tressel to resign following a stellar career that included an overall record of 94–22. He failed to report information about players involved in the incident. Jason Wright, a former NFL veteran, had this to say about Coach Tressel. “I believe Jim Tressel loves God. I believe he has faith that Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of the world. I also believe he has a real personal relationship with the one true God. And I don’t think he was faking.”

Spiritual Blindness

While some fans might debate Wright’s assessment, this is a reminder to all coaches and athletes that if something like this can happen to Jim Tressel, it can happen to anyone who fails to guard their heart. Most problems for coaches or athletes begin deep within the heart, where these issues often grow unnoticed. As the proverb warns, “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23).

Mark 2 includes the common theme of the religious leaders’ opposition to Jesus. Whether it was the healing of the paralyzed man or Jesus’ encounter with the tax collector Levi, these events upset the religious leaders. The Pharisees were so concerned with following all their own rules that they failed to see Jesus in their midst. They had been unable to guard their hearts. Their critical attitude toward Jesus revealed how unhealthy thinking can be destructive.

The Kingdom Coach and Athlete examine their motives and maintain a close watch on their inner selves. They view their heart as the human mission control center, realizing that it’s from the heart that man operates.

Bible Memory Verse – “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you: and behold I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 (LSB)

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