Love wins!

This past Friday morning, I woke up with what appeared to be a case of the NBA Finals “Let Down” blues.  Symptoms included struggling to get out of bed.  Headache.  Mopey.  Little motivation. Emotional.  As I got in my car and headed out, I realized that I wasn’t the only one who had contracted this illness.  There were a lot of other people out there in Spur-land suffering from it too.

I had to get perspective about this quickly.  I WON’T let a Spurs loss ruin my day!  I kept thinking to myself “It’s only a game!  It’s only a game!”  But, over the last three years, I’ve grown to love the Spurs!  I’ve enjoyed getting to know the players from afar.  I’ve loved seeing the younger ones develop and grow in maturity.    I admired how the older players pour into the younger ones, conscientious about passing on their tricks of the trade.  I saw a coach that doesn’t allow for contention, pride or arrogance on the team. I saw a team that demonstrated the beauty and power of humility, both in how they win and how they lose. They love one another.  They respect one another.  They care for one another.  They always speak well of each other. There is something so special about this team and I believe the world has finally taken note.  It stands out far more than winning an NBA title will ever will.  It rises above all the money that yields such power in sports. It’s called love.

I heard on the radio that the first thing Coach Pop said as he gathered his team together after the loss was three simple words.  “I love you.”  I love you guys.  Can you believe it?  These last two losses must have been so disheartening to that team.  But when a leader stands up and says those words, there is hope.  Winning is not everything.  Love is everything.  Love wins.  Love will always, always win.  Why do you think these guys want to stay together?  Love.

Have you ever been part of a team or staff where love was absent?  You lose trust. You begin to second guess yourself.  You walk on egg shells. You live in fear. When love is absent, fear rules.  Each of us have an opportunity to be different.  In 1 John 4:18, it says “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear.”   God is calling us to be team leaders and team members that exemplify this kind of love. 

I think seeing the Spurs rise into the NBA Finals was an amazing thing for the world to see.  We demonstrated to the world how to be a real team.  We demonstrated that humility will always reign over pride. We demonstrated that money in sports doesn’t always win, but love does. 

“Love never gives up.  Love cares more for others than for self.  Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.  Love doesn’t strut, doesn’t have a swelled head, doesn’t force itself on others, isn’t always “me first,” doesn’t fly off the handle, doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, doesn’t revel when others grovel.  Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth.  Puts up with anything. Trusts God always.  Always looks for the best. Never looks back, but keeps going to the end.”  1 Corinthians 13: 4-7