Surround yourself with good people

...and let them cook.

I know a lot of talented people and have milked them for all they're worth. Like this guy: Czech American-Football Legend Petr Vitovec

I was thinking a lot today about how much I lean on the talents of the people around me in order to find success in what I do.

Athletic Director is a profession which requires a “Jack of All Trades” skillset.

…but that implies a “Master of None” acceptance.

And while I know the saying continues “but oftentimes better than a master none”, it does impart the great wisdom and guidance to lean upon the ‘masters’ which surround us in our lives.

I have been blessed in my life to be surrounded by several intensely talented and driven people who’ve striven to be masters of their craft.

I admire and love the drive they exhibit; it lifts everyone around them.

My brother, for example, is blessed with the ability to throw things. His children have that same gift. I’ve heard many others wish they had that same God-given gift.  Our dad and his brother were both elite athletes who played professional baseball.

My little brother was the signal caller for the University of Washington ...gross, right?

He hit the genetic lottery.

But wait, so did I.

This is me, "The Hefty Righty" as a QB in Europe. Only playing due to the injury of our starter. No NFL scouts called the next day.

Then why can’t I throw a baseball in the 90s? Where was my High School Varsity No-Hitter? Where are my 70-yard dimes down the sideline? I have the same blood, the same genes. We grew up in the same household. WTF God? Where’s my cannon?!

But I know the answer; it is an easy one and I saw it every day as a child and to this day as he instills the same habits into his own children:

He worked at it …every day

with a relentless attention to detail which I could never muster; I never cared to get my hand placement perfect, to maximize the spin, to use concise movements, to incorporate my legs.  He did.

When paired with that seed bestowed upon him by God, he nurtured and tilled the land until he produced one of the most prolific arms to come out of our State. It paid for his Bachelors Degree & provided him opportunities, experiences, and friendships which he cherishes to this day.

So, as I look at the people around me in my profession, it is vital I find the seeds which have been sown and amplify the strengths of those who surround me.

I challenge you to do the same in all facets of your life. Therein lies some of the beauty of this life we’ve been miraculously gifted.

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today's daily devotional & reflection (usccb)

Thursday after Epiphany

• 1 John 4:19-5:4

• Luke 4:18

• Luke 4:14-22

REFLECTION:

Anytime you’ve been gone from a place which knew you, you come back a changed person. Jesus, God getting the full human experience, is no exception; he returns to Nazareth no longer a boy, rather “in the power of the Spirit.”

Now, knowing where Luke 4 is headed, this simply Friday after Epiphany reading comes to life.

Spoiler: he's not going to be received as well as you might think.

Initial reactions of your close family, friends, and neighbors is always one of amazement. It brings to mind that of an’ old aunt who had a large say in your raising: ‘You’ve gotten so big!’ ‘Look how mature he is now!’ ‘I can’t believe how much you’ve grown!’

Though they know a change has occurred, the old you is to whom they grasp.

They know the old you. The old you is predictable. The old you is comfortable.

The old you is safe.

…but the old you is dead. You are not that person.

Luke 4:14-22 feels just like that initial encounter with your aunt as you arrive:

She is ‘amazed’ by the new you.

…but soon she will realize she only knows the ghost of your past and will have to grapple with learning this new stranger that you’ve become.

Strangers are unpredictable. Strangers are uncomfortable.

Strangers are a threat.

In this way, the people of Nazareth are at a disadvantage when it comes to accepting Christ as their savior.

In a new school at Puyallup, this knowledge applies directly.  “The honeymoon period” allows me to get to know new people, learn their skills, see them for who they are, and lean on them.  It is important to put your best foot forward, especially early-on, …for the honeymoon period quickly fades into the known, the expected, the comfortable. I can only pray the me they get to know and expect is one who is dynamic and growth-oriented.

Comfort is the biggest enemy of growth.