Twenty-nine years after winning its last NCAA basketball title, the Stanford women became national champions again in 2021. Anna, the Pac-12 Co-Defensive Player of the Year and Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson’s sister, was a big reason for their success on the court. Her path to the title included losing her dad at 12 and battling a concussion as a freshman. She tweeted, “There’s no material possession, no party, no person, no amount of money that’s greater than Jesus’ love. A free gift that lasts forever.” In an ESPN story, she explained how her faith and love for Jesus helped her. “When things aren’t going my way, and it’s tough on the court, I always whisper, ‘He must increase, I must decrease.’ That’s John 3:30. I wrote that on my left wrist and ‘joy’ on the top of my left hand before every practice. For me, that means minimizing myself—putting others first and putting Jesus first is more important than anything else. My faith has shaped my definition of success. It’s definitely not all about me.” 

Ruth 3-4 – Redeeming Love

Wilson’s love for her Lord helped her persevere despite difficult circumstances. Likewise, Boaz’s love for Ruth (Ruth 3-4) shows love finding a way, even though Boaz was not Ruth’s nearest relative. Both Ruth and Naomi were impoverished and lost their land, with no way to ever “redeem” it. When the nearest relative declined to marry Ruth, she became Boaz’s wife. She had no way of knowing it then, but her future would be far greater than her past, as she became the ancestress of the Messiah (Jesus Christ)!

Ruth put God first when she left her home. God honored her. She proved that integrity, kindness, love, and charity still could be lived in the darkest of days. Ruth kept her eyes on her redeemer and not on her circumstances, her past, or herself. She had no way of knowing she was part of God’s eternal plan to bring the Messiah into the world.

The Kingdom Coach and Athlete keep their eyes on Jesus, no matter how hard the circumstances. They know Jesus Christ is their Redeemer. He is free from sin. He is a wealthy King, willing to pay the price in blood for their redemption!