Shotclock

Everyone loves a comeback story. Especially the ones that involve sports because typically, they emphasize the meaning of being an underdog. What I find to be the most riveting is when I’m watching a basketball game, it’s the fourth quarter, the away team is up by 2 points and there are 24 seconds left on the clock. At this point I’m standing up, yelling at the tv, hoping that the home team can pull it together after the time out to potentially steal the ball, bring it up the court, shoot for three and take it home.

One can hope, right? The timeout right before a big play is crucial to the success of the play. You have the coach giving the team a story about the season and how far they have come. He touches on how proud he is of the team win or lose and most importantly he encourages each player to go back out there to give it all they got. The players know what they have to do. But if you were given 24 seconds left on the clock, what would you do? In life, there are always choices to make. For example, deciding what you’re going to eat for lunch today is a decision that should be made. With options like not eating at all, making a sandwich or ordering take out. It’s still a choice that you must make at a specific period. Some choices are more difficult and come with more on the back end then what the decision calls for at that time. Choosing where you are going to college, deciding what your career is going to be as well as how you will spend your time on a given day. All of these things call for research, focus, and discussion on what the decision will be. So putting this back in the concept of a game. Where a team is down by 2 points, they have 24 seconds on the clock and they are faced with a choice to make. Maybe they didn’t have a good season, but through perseverance, they landed themselves in the championship. They may have lost teammates along the way and supporters. However, the opportunity has now been placed in their hands to take control of the situation. Play to the buzzer or throw in the towel.

Since we have been in this place of isolation, I have also been positioned to make that same choice. To play until the buzzer or throw in the towel. Isolation has caused me to be in constant conversation with myself and God on what I should be doing during this time. Given that time is really all I have. Before, I would spend the weekends traveling throughout New York City, going to brunch and the mall to then, unfortunately, put off the things I needed to take care of at home. Like building this blog and following Christ in the way I should be in the ways he has called me to. Since those distractions and excuses have been taken away I am left with the question of, am I still willing to play until the buzzer. Meaning when my time runs out in my earthly body or on a given day, will I allow for the things of the world to continue to consume and inhibit me from winning this thing called life. Despite the circumstance and situation, you are also faced with the same choice. Despite of your past, who has left you along the way and the lack of resources you may have had, this game still isn’t over. To be honest, its just begun in this time of quarantine. I believe that this season is meant for readjustment. To align yourself back into the opportunities to make the right choices for your future. I encourage you all to keep fighting, keep pushing and go into your next whatever with a game plan from the coach (God) to play until the buzzer. Take as many timeouts you need to consult and be encouraged by the Coach of all coaches to then put yourself back out there. You got twenty-four seconds and its starting right now.