Being a coach has its days. Some of them are exciting and intoxicating at times. It is exhilarating to see my athletes achieve a level of success from the wisdom I imparted. Other times, coaching can be exhausting and unbearable. As a coach, you are under tremendous scrutiny and have to make decisions that are competent and ethical for the good of the team and the athlete. The other day I was put in a position where my competence and moral foundation were tested.Last Monday we held a track meet for Jr. High athletes. We had six schools, including ourselves, with well over 250 athletes and coaches. The rules for track are fairly simple and clear. An athlete can compete in three running events and two field events, or vice versa. By mistake, we had several athletes signed up in four running events. One of them ran a race before I was able to catch the mishap. The other three were brought to my attention.
We have four coaches on staff for track and three of us were on hand at the time. We gathered together to discuss our options. In truth, we did not really have any. The rule is clear and the only thing we could do is forfeit the event. However, the other coaches were not willing to do that. I stood quietly for a moment as they were telling the athlete to go and run the 200-meter dash. They tried to justify their decision with past instances when other teams have done the same thing. They also were convinced that because it is just a Jr. High track meet, and the significance of the matter was so small, that allowing them to run was not really cheating. Besides, we were in sixth place with no hope of winning; what difference did it make?
With all of that said, I walked over to the starting line and scratched my athlete from the race. Then I scratched the three others that were not supposed to run as well. Obviously, I was not a well-liked coach at that point. I heard them talk and snicker. They snarled a little and pointed the finger. Moreover, I imagine I will not receive a birthday card in the mail from them this year.
The small things matter to me. As I thought about the reasons why they said he should run, I realized that not one of them honored God. God is not only honored in the big moral battles that are won in the Supreme Court or are made into a movie. He is just as glorified in the minute decisions we make every day; like being honest with our time cards at work or confronting gossip among friends. I told the coaches that this was a moral issue. This is a matter of integrity. We are called to do the right thing no matter how significant or insignificant it weighs in our minds. The significance is not ours to determine; that is God’s decision.
There is more at stake here than just a little “white lie.” Every day I build my foundation on the word of God. The very foundation my marriage, my family, and my salvation are established. To compromise here, is to intentionally hammer away the footing of my love for Christ. With every compromise, the rock of my morality cracks allowing the world to seep into my heart and extinguish the fever my passion for the supremacy of Christ in the world. As the cracks widen and chisel the truth I have come to love, I eventually grow cold and distant from my King. Then I am useless and typical of many western Christians; self involved and clueless to the gospel.
Unfortunately, the overflow of this spills onto my children and they reap the fruit of my compromise; becoming gray in their faith, lukewarm in their love for the Kingdom of God, and complacent in truth. At this point, I have handed them over to the ruler of this world for his enjoyment. One small compromise at an insignificant track meet is one giant step to infidelity toward Christ.
In the end, the decision I made did have an impact on the team. Two of the athletes I pulled were 8th graders and two were 7th graders. The 8th grade finished 6th missing 5th place by 3 points. If we would have placed 4th in the 200 meter, we would have not taken dead last at our home meet. The 7th graders finished 4th. In the two events, I pulled the athletes from, we typically finished 3rd. We missed third place as a team by about those points; give or take a couple.
I guess someone could easily argue that I made us finish worse off than we should have. I agree and take responsibility for that. However, I believe the greater prize was won. I hope that at the very least the athletes, who participated or witnessed what took place, have gotten a glimpse of the beauty of truth and the value of doing what is right. Moreover, I pray that God will take that and show them that at the center of that beauty and value is the Savior of their souls; Jesus.
