Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.

Martin Luther King, Jr. 

I grew up in the Golden Age of sports - at the dawning of the Little League era. I played Little League Baseball and Little League Basketball and Little League Soccer. When I got older - it was the City League era. I played City League Softball and City League Volleyball (Co-ed & Power Leagues) and especially City League Basketball. 

In fact, I have played and coached so many sports throughout my life that it has really taken away some of the joy of watching them. I get aggravated when the coaches don't do something I think they should, really aggravated when the players mess up, and am driven to madness when the referees see a call different than I do. So at times, these sports that I enjoy so much, bring me anything but joy. 

Then, there is track.

I love watching track. I never ran track, never coached track, and only began watching it about eight years ago when my oldest daughter casually announced that she was going to the area finals in two or three events. Now I can't wait for track season to start. I love going to the meets, I love watching the races, and I love going home and talking about them.

Why is that, you might be wondering? It's because ignorance is bliss! Since I really don't know anything about the sport, I can simply enjoy watching those who do - and it's very entertaining.

But, what can be "blissful" in one area of life, can be very dangerous in others.

Have you ever noticed how many people approach religion in the way that I approach track? They don't know anything about it, but they like watching those who do (or at least those who claim they do). Since they know nothing about it, and really don't want to, they can bounce around from event to event just taking in the religion that suits their lifestyle the best. For such people, the words of the Bible (and, therefore, the words of God) are secondary - they just like watching the game... and "hanging" with those who agree with them and say what they want to hear.

So, what's the problem? Simply this: You and I will not be judged by the results of a sporting event, but we will be judged on the results of our religion. The fact is that service to God is not a "spectator sport" - it is the essence of our existence! If we approach religion like a spectator, drifting to the most exciting events but never bothering to learn or do enough to take part in them ourselves, then we very likely will find ourselves in the position of watching the victors receive their crowns, while we go off to join those who did not compete according to the rules or those who never even ran the race in the first place.

Are you... living in "blissful ignorance" in the most important area of your life?

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. I Corinthians 9:24, NIV

He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord...

II Thessalonians 1:7-9, NIV

It is fascinating to see how many, otherwise, serious and intelligent people are just "ditty bopping" their way to the Judgment. It's not that they don't believe in God - they do, and it's not that they don't believe that the Bible is God's word - again, they do. But, they don't think about things of eternal consequence - not when there are so many interesting and important physical things to hold their attention.

It's interesting, isn't it, how important the physical things seem at the time. People will spend vast amounts of time trying to figure out how to squeeze out one more dollar from their investments. They will spend years pursuing higher education in order to land jobs that will pay higher salaries. They will spend hours each day making sure that their bodies are physically fit. Now, there is nothing wrong with prudent investing or improving one's self intellectually or wanting a healthier lifestyle. But, it is amazing how often these wealthy, educated and physically fit people will ignore their eternity while pursuing a more quality life here on earth. It's like  a meth addict who trades 5 minutes of pleasure for a lifetime of misery: It's a poor trade.

This is where you and I come in. Have you ever thought of encouraging a friend or family member to become more serious when it comes to pursuing eternal life, but were just too afraid that you might somehow offend them? I think we all have, but consider the risk we are taking: We are betting their eternal soul that they will come to the truth in another way. The fact is, whether we like it or not, you and I are someone's best chance to come to God and Christ - so take that chance.

Here's how you do it. Invite a friend to church. You can tell them what I tell them: "The preaching's not very good but the people are friendly". They might not come, but they might. You can wake up that lazy family of yours (or that hard working family if that's the case) and get them dressed and to the worship. They might grumble, they might whine, but they also might begin a closer relationship with God. You might also start reading your Bible more. It's hard, I know, but it was hard for Christ to die on that cross for your sins, too. Now, inviting a friend to worship, getting your family up for Sunday school and reading the Bible not might change your life or save their souls... but it might. And it is worth the risk!

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son does not have life. 

I John 5:11-12, NIV

My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me. Henry Ford

When I look back over my life, my best times have always coincided with the times I had the best friends. When I was seven years old, my best friend was Steven Price. We lived across the street from each other, but went to different schools. After school and all summer long, we were inseparable. When I was eleven, my best friend was David Bales. We were in different grades but, again, after school and all summer long we were together from just after sunrise to well after sunset.

It was with these two friends that I rode a million bike miles, played countless hours of catch, went to the library, learned to play chess, and just did about everything else in between. When I was in high school, my best friend was Roger Bartow. When we weren't working together at Kentucky Fried Chicken, we were out cruising the strip or just hanging out - it didn't much matter where.

In college, I was blessed with an abundance of close friends, from my roommates (Brian Biggers & James Attensil) to my apartment mates (Mark Barnes & Steve Benjamin), to two of my best friends ever (Phil Prince and Pat Baker). Names do not come to me very easily, but when it comes to these friends, they are engraved on my heart. They were the difference between a so-so life and a life jam-packed with joy. "Didn't you have any friends who were girls?" you might be wondering. A wise man develops amnesia when it comes to those names.

But my best friend of all time is the one I married over thirty years ago. Hands down, Carolyn (used to be Moudy) is the best friend I have ever had, and the best friend I ever will have. We have shared the good times (about thirty years) and the bad times (about 5 days - all my fault) but most important of all, we have shared a deep and abiding faith in Christ our Savior.

I don't deserve the life I have had with the dear friends I have had, but I do know this: Without these friends to share my time with, life would have been empty. I know this to be true, for I had a lot of years growing up when I did not have a close friend, and those years were difficult. Friends really are the secret ingredient to a happy life. Without those special friends with whom you can savor everything from a game of catch to a beautiful sunset, life would only be half-lived. If you have a good friend, you have been given a great gift - you should thank your Heavenly Father on a regular basis for that gift. It wouldn't hurt, by the way, to thank your friend as well.

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24, NIV

Praise loudly... blame softly.     

Catherine II

My oldest daughter and I recently had the privilege of coaching nine beautiful young ladies in a team basketball camp. We had one hour of practice before playing eight games in two days. We spent the first five minutes of that practice explaining what we wanted to see in the girls - a team!

Since I had coached most of these girls a half a dozen years earlier, I had only to remind them of the most important rule that they had played under for four years: You will never criticize a teammate. If a teammate missed a critical shot, or turned the ball over, or blew a defensive assignment, they were to have words of encouragement instead of criticism. Further, should they forget that one, simple rule, they would have to leave the game and come sit on the bench next to me.

For two days (three actually, but I couldn't be there on the last day) the girls played their hearts out. Each had bad games and each had great games but, in 320 minutes of playing time, I did not hear one word of discouragement towards a fellow team member. Instead, they encouraged, they cheered, they consoled, they praised and they won. In fact, the only game they lost was by two points and that was primarily caused by their coach failing to make a proper adjustment at a critical time.

Now, you might be thinking that this article is about basketball - but you would be wrong. It's about the people you work with, it's about your marriage, it's about your family and your friends. In short, it is about life! In life, we have the opportunity to encourage or to discourage, to build up or to tear down, to love or to hate. It is only when we choose to support one another in worthy efforts that we are able to achieve great things and, by the way, to have an awful lot of fun in the process.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.    

Ephesians 4:29, NIV