Just sit in the boat

Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. Mark 4:1

As football teams get closer to the end of the regular season and closer to the play-off time of year, the distracting noises always increase.  There is talk of possible play-off scenarios, future opponents, and constant planning for events that may not even occur. The intensity of the game increases as does the trash talk from fans and the tempers of most coaches.  Region championships and paths to a state championship are on the line in each game. The players are hearing about how good they are from their friends and family and the opposing fans are always a little more obnoxious. According to the fans, the coaches have suddenly forgotten how to coach, the referees are always plotting against their team, and they know exactly the correct play that should have been called.  All of this comes together to create a lot of extra noise that can be easily distracting to the players.  

As a football coach, I have to block out the noise.  It could come in the form of a parent complaint, a player who is having an issue in his life, or outside worries that are on my mind.  There is a time to deal with the issues of life but it is not during practice and certainly not during a game. I want our players to understand this as well.  It is difficult for a young man to put away his worries for a time and totally concentrate on his job as a player. We have talked a lot in the past few days about blocking out the noise around our team as we prepare for a very noisy environment on game night.  

Our game on this coming Friday has several aspects that will cause this to be a noisy environment.  Our opponent, if they were to win, will be the champions of our region. For my team, a win will mean home field advantage for the play-offs.  We would also get to ruin our opponent’s chance to be the region champion. The crowd should be large, we will be the visiting team, and emotions will be very high for all involved.  In order for our team to be successful on Friday night, we must block out the noise. There could be “trash” talk from our opponent, their crowd will be geared up to yell their team to victory, and our very own fans will have many suggestions to help us win.  There will be a lot of noise! Several times during this week we have talked about blocking out the noise but I know it is easier to say than to actually do. I have told the team, in order to truly block out the noise and distractions, we must be completely absorbed in preparing ourselves and our teammates for competition.  If each player is totally devoted to helping his teammate prepare, each young man will be too busy to notice the noise. During the game, if each young man is excited and celebrating a teammates success, there will not be any time left to hear the noise.  

I believe as Christians we also have to block out the noise.  As we go through our days, there will be people who need help with a problem, people who need a kind word, and people with a complaint.  Each of these issues crosses our path for a reason and each takes a toll on us personally. I also believe God places us on this earth to be in the middle of all the noise but, He also knows we need a break from the noise.  In Mark 4:1, Jesus has been teaching the crowd and has gotten into a boat and is sitting offshore. During Jesus’ time on the earth, he lived his life very much like each of us, with many of the same emotions. I am sure he was sitting in the boat because he needed a break from the crowd.  He had been teaching and had a full day of hearing their problems. There were probably several in the crowd with a complaint or with suggestions of how he could be a better teacher. I am sure, while sitting in the boat, he was asking his Father for guidance. He probably asked for energy to help the ones with an illness and patience to deal with the many others.  He most likely asked for wisdom to allow his Father’s words to come from his mouth when he returned to the shore to teach. He may have even taken the time away to regain his composure and remember why he was teaching. He just needed to sit in the boat for a while. Probably, while Jesus was in the boat, there were probably many who yelled to him from the shore. Jesus needed to be in the boat to block the noise and concentrate on the will of his Father.

I don’t live close to a lake and I do not own a boat, but I need to “Sit in the boat” sometimes.  I need time to get away from the voices who are asking for help or registering a complaint. I need time to refocus so my words will be my Heavenly Fathers, and not my own.  I need to block the noise so I can remember why I coach.

Chad