Daily Devotionals
Devotional: January 8th
As an Ohio State Buckeyes fan, 2002 was a year for the record book. The Buckeyes rode the strong shoulders of freshman sensation, Maurice Clarett, to a perfect season and the National Championship. Clarett was being mentioned for the Heisman Trophy as the best player in the country after just a couple of games. Funny the difference a year makes.
This past season started with a thud. Clarett was ruled ineligible for play due to accepting improper benefits from a family friend and then lying to investigators about it. Ohip State would have to petition the National Collegiate Athletic Association to allow Clarett to return for the 2004 season. The truth of the matter is that the NCAA would probably reject the petition due to an ongoing investigation into the illegal activities of the infamous family friend who was gambling while in daily contact with Clarett during the 2002 season.
People laud the young Clarett as being a fine young man, but now that fine young man, with the questionable credentials of 2003, has won a court ruling allowing him to be eligible for the 2004 National Football League draft. He evidently had no desire to return to the Buckeyes and had even mentioned such in the 2002 season. Clarett is getting what he wanted.
Somewhere along the line someone needed to get this young man's ear and coach him in life. Right now there are those who want him in the NFL just to teach him that teenagers don't belong there. There are others who feel that he owes Ohio State at least one more season. Personally, I am just worried about what the young man has learned. Young men need nurturing, training, encouragment and direction to help them sort through the things that make manhood so palpable.
The apostle Paul had met a young man on one of his missionary journeys. Timothy caught his eye and captured his heart to the point where the evangelist took him under his wing to father him in the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. He gave the young man perhaps the best advice ever given. "Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12 While the jury is still in deliberation as to the example Maurice Clarett is giving young athletes still in high school, the verdict is in on Timothy. He fulfilled Paul's wish. Simple goal. Be an example.
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