Always Be Prepared

"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always Be Prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." 1 Peter 3:15

As athletes, we are sometimes asked to give an account of a performance, team, or situation. We must realize Peter's words are in the command form. We are first called to acknowledge our need for Christ and to set Him at the core of our being to reign over our lives, because of the ultimate sacrifice He made on the cross to pay the debt we owe to God for our sins. Then, we are charged to take each and every one of those opportunities and maximize it for the "hope that we have" in the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Opportunities take many different forms. It's not only when a microphone is stuck in your face. It's also an opportunity anytime when your response is asked of a family member, friend, teammate, or coach. This isn't an automatic response. That's where the, "Always be prepared," comes in. We must train ourselves in preparation for these moments before they even happen. This may be what seems like a daunting task. So, here's an example of how one athlete, Husker Basketball player Ade Dagunduro, had trained himself to point to Christ and was able to "give the reason for the hope that he had."

"Ade Dagunduro pointed his index finger into the air at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, and a swarm of Cornhusker fans surrounded him at midcourt after Nebraska's 58-55 win against NO. 16 Texas on Saturday.

'That was big.' the senior said of the moment. 'I said a little prayer. I said,'No matter what happens. I'm going to give you the glory.' talking to my heavenly father. And that's what I did, give him all the glory." -Kris Knowlton, Daily Nebraskan

(To see the interview, click here. Scroll through the sports highlights and then click on "Dagunduro Too Big For Texas")

Robbie Trent
Lincoln-Southeast Nebraska