Pistol Pete Maravich was his generation’s most misunderstood and controversial basketball player. One teammate called him “an American phenomenon, a stepchild of the human imagination.” Maravich always seemed misplaced: an individualist in a team environment, a perfectionist but not a purist, in the opinion of many sportswriters and coaches. Former Los Angeles Laker Lou Hudson said, “This man has been quicker and faster than Jerry West or Oscar Robertson. He gets the ball up the floor better. He shoots as well. Raw talent-wise, he’s the greatest who ever played. The difference comes down to style. He will be a loser, always, no matter what he does. That’s his legacy.” For all his greatness on the basketball court, NBA legend Pistol Pete was a self-sufficient player. Fans loved to watch him play but were too often disappointed by the losses that followed his one-person show.

Numbers 16-17 – Surrender Control

One of the most dangerous threats to a successful team is self-sufficiency. It’s also a threat to a person’s relationship with God. This can cause us to think we know what is best for our lives and how to achieve it. During the Israelites’ wandering in the desert for forty years, their rebellion against God grew. Numbers 16-17 describe a rebellion against Moses and Aaron’s leadership, led by Korah. Eventually, God destroyed the opponents and sent a plague to the Israelites as divine punishment. Until we surrender control to God, we open ourselves to all sorts of problems.

How can we learn to depend on Him alone? Get to know who He is as revealed in His Word. The Bible is not a bunch of suggestions but divine law. The Creator has laid down the law for mankind’s full blessing and usefulness. The Creator knows what is right and what is best, what He expects and demands, and what He has given us.

The Kingdom Coach and Athlete lean on God and His written Word for direction. They trust Him as the all-wise, all-knowing, all-powerful, gracious, merciful, loving God we can trust.

Bible Verse: “And you shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell; for I, Yahweh, am dwelling in the midst of the sons of Israel.” Numbers 35:34 (LSB)