Attack!

I once heard a coach admonish his team to “smell blood” during a timeout.  Admittedly, I was slightly taken aback by this admonition.  Of all the years I’ve spent around the game, this was the first time I had heard that kind of comment and I didn’t know exactly how to react.  However, after thinking about it for a little while, I understood what he was trying to tell his team.  Essentially, when you know you’ve got a team cornered – when you “smell blood” – then be like a shark and attack!  It is one of the elements that make the best teams the best teams.  I didn’t understand at first, but after watching more games and listening to great coaches, I finally saw what they saw – If you let a team hang around till the 4th quarter, then your chances of losing become greater.  You have to attack at your opponent’s weakest moment.

This is a great spiritual lesson as well.  I think a lot of Christians forget what Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”  In order to best understand this we must realize that Jesus said “the gates of hell”.  Gates are defensive structures that are designed to keep something out.  So, if “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”, then that must mean there is offensive opponent.  Jesus points out the opponent in his preceding statement – the offensive opponent is the church.  I believe that we as Christians, the church, are so concerned about not offending non-believers that we have stopped attacking and have instead “slowed it down”, or “pulled the ball out” so to speak.  What we don’t realize is when we, the church, stop “attacking” we give our opponent (the devil) more opportunities to win the battles in our homes, careers, and our church.  The church has forgotten that we are fighting a spiritual warfare on earth.  If we think we can simply stay back and sheath our sword (the Bible), then we will give up ground, and, although the Lord will win in the end, we will lose important battles in the present.

Players and coaches need the ability to “smell blood” on the court and the courage and strength to continually stay on the attack.  The church also needs this “attacking” mentality, to go forward in faith knowing that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against us”.

Attack!

In Christ
Coach CJ

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