When Wake Forest offered a baseball scholarship to outfielder Kevin Jordan, he never dreamed his future coach would later donate a kidney to him. During his recruitment, his father researched Coach Tom Walter and liked what he discovered. Keith Jordan found that Coach Walter, at a previous coaching job, had cared about his players during Hurricane Katrina while his own home was 12 feet underwater. He didn’t hesitate to help relocate his players and even offered to help them transfer to another college.

Kevin Jordan and his father made a good choice when picking Wake Forest. Many coaches wouldn’t have cared for their players the way Coach Walter did during Hurricane Katrina. Far fewer would have donated one of their kidneys to help one of them. Jordan said, “I didn’t ask for him to do this. He volunteered as my family members were not a transplant match. I’m just really thankful.” Athletic Director Ron Wellman wasn’t surprised. He said, “He loves his players so much it is unique.”

1 Corinthians 13 – Love for Others is Essential

Paul argued in the previous chapter that every spiritual gift is needed for a healthy church. In chapter 13, he taught without love as their motive, spiritual gifts are empty shells. The exercise of love with spiritual gifts should never be unique in the church. Love is patient, kind, joyful, bearing, believing, hoping, and enduring in all things. Church members should always demonstrate they’re part of the body of Christ by loving one another in this way.

 The Kingdom Coach and Athlete consider love essential in their program. They know love is the most critical part of any relationship among their team. They also recognize the ability to love comes from a divine Source. With unconditional love expressed through actions, love becomes the greatest of Christian virtues.

Journaling helps you understand and respond to the Bible. As you journal, use the acronym HEAR to Highlight, Explain, Apply, and Respond to what you have read in the reading plan.

Bible Memory Verse – “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” 1 Corinthians 13:1

Click HERE for the Kingdom Sports Minute on What is Love