July 28, 2015
Queen of the Court
Gwen Smith
Today’s Truth
Though the Lord is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar.(Psalm 138:6)
Friend to Friend
In my spare time, I help coach our high school volleyball team. Let me re-phrase that…because I do not have spare time. Three months a year I choose to make intentional daily investments in the lives of young female scholar athletes who play volleyball at the high school where my children attend. Smiles.
One of the games we play in practice is called Queen of the Court, the goal of which is simple: gain and keep the lead. Dominate. Be the best and protect your turf at all cost. Serve more aggressively, pass more accurately, set more strategically, and hit harder than your opponents. It is a fast paced drill of skill and only the strong survive.
My life sometimes feels like a game of Queen of the Court. I strive, set goals, create a game plan, and execute the strategy. Sadly, I often do not even realize I’m doing it. I long to be my best, but at times the lines get blurry and cross over to my wanting to be THE best. Look at me, everyone! Check out my people, my position, my possessions, my trophies-of-greatness…
I have to check my heart.
Am I striving to be a woman of excellence or do I want to be viewed as an excellent woman? Those are two very different questions.
Too often I become fixated on putting goods in the shopping cart of my ego, my family, my church, my community, my country. {My goodness!} To make it worse, I throw on an invisible jersey and play a game of who-is-the-greatest against the people around me. Aren’t we so good at that? My daughter could crush that ball if she could just get a good set. I would be amazing at that position if the boss would just stop giving all the best assignments to that other guy. If I use this decorating idea from Pinterest, my house will be the envy of every woman in the neighborhood.
Our shiny pursuits and performances become our social media statuses the moment they happen. Can I get a witness? Facebook. Instagram. Twitter. Oh, my!
We boast. We brag. We reach. We strive. We show. We want. We need.
Allow me to run and take a shower. I’m feeling quite icky.
Queen of the Court is a useful volleyball drill, but it is not a game that Christians should be playing. My own greatness is not what I should be concerned with! Instead, I need to be far more concerned with the greatness of God than with the greatness of Gwen. The. End.
Peter reminds us of this in his letter to the believers in the early church. “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” (1 Peter 5:5b-6, NIV)
Our job: be humble before God and to others. Stop playing the greatness game.
God’s job: to lift us up as He sees fit, when He sees fit… all to elevate Himself.
Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, Please help me to focus on your greatness instead of my own. Purify my heart and be glorified in and through me today.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Consider what items you have been adding to the shopping cart of your ego? Journal a prayer of confession.
Ready to move forward freshly in the greatness of God? CLICK HERE to visit my blog and leave a comment letting me know – or simply say, “God is the King of my court!”
More from the Girlfriends
Gwen Smith is a speaker, author, worship leader, and songwriter who wants to help you think big thoughts about God – and inspire you toward His grace and truth. Her website is filled with videos, posts, songs and resources that will be a deep well of encouragement to you. Click here to visit her site. (Get 3 FREE song downloads when you sign up for her blog!)
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