Cling to the Sword

Eleazar is one of the most inspirational characters in the Bible.  His story is one that is rare and most people have never heard it.  You see, Eleazar was one of David's mighty men.  He was a brave and honorable soldier that fought in David's army and was most recognized for his part in Israel's victory over the Philistines.  To set up this amazing story it is necessary to read two passages first.  2 Samuel 23:9-10 & 1 Chronicles 11:12-14.

"And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, son of Ahohi.  He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel withdrew.  He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword.  And the LORD brought about a great victory that day, and the men returned after him only to strip the slain." - 2 Samuel 23:9-10 (ESV)

And we also get some more insight on this event in 1 Chronicles.

"And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite.  He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines were gathered there for battle.  There was a plot of ground full of barley, and the men fled from the Philistines.  But he took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and killed the Philistines.  And the LORD saved them by a great victory." - 1 Chronicles 11:12-14 (ESV)

The Philistines obviously posed a massive threat to the men of Israel because they all ran away!  They FLED!  But despite what the rest of the army did, David and Eleazar stood next to each other and defended against the Philistines.  It wasn't until after all the Philistines were dead that the rest of the men returned.  An amazing story for sure, but what was it about Eleazar that allowed him to accomplish this victory?

1. His WEAPON - Verse 10 of 2 Samuel 23 tells us that Eleazar fought with one weapon, a sword.  He was able to defeat an entire army with just one sword!  He was confident and familiar to this weapon and was able to use it to win a battle.  We have to assume that he practiced with this sword daily.  He knew everything about his sword - how much it weighed, how far he could reach with it, and how hard he needed to swing it to do damage.  He cared for his sword and made sure that he knew how to use it when the opportunity presented itself.

2. His GRIP - Eleazar was a man of perseverance!  Verse 10 also says, "He rose and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand CLUNG to the sword."  He clung to it!  Even though his entire army, his brothers, his family, his team, abandoned him...he never gave up.  He gave everything he had and welded his hand to his sword.  He was tired and weak, but even still...he clung to the sword.  His sword became a part of who he was.  Wow.

3. His STRENGTH - I'm sure Eleazar was a strong man, but his strength didn't lie within himself.  Verse 10 finishes by telling us that, "The LORD brought about a great victory that day..."  God was able to take one soldier and use him in a mighty and powerful way.  Sure, Eleazar was trained to use his sword.  He practiced for hours upon hours throughout his life and was confident in his ability to use it.  Of course, he had the mindset to "never give up" and persevere through adversity.  But his true strength and the reason he was able to clinch a victory against the Philistines was because of God's power. 

What a powerful and inspiring story of a man who was confident in his ability and fought to the end.  A man who was abandoned by his team, yet still found the courage to RISE UP and fight the battle.  He gave every ounce of energy he had left and kept swinging his trusty sword.  In today's world, we can directly relate this story to our lives.  Just as Eleazar clung to his sword in the midst of battle, we can cling to the Word of God when we face adverse times.  We grow weary.  We get tired.  But when we read the Scriptures and hold fast to God's promises, He will show us his power and give us strength to overcome.  It's no coincidence that the name, Eleazar means, "God is my Helper."  

The Other Team...

GUEST BLOG 
by Paul Whitt











“But time is short, and the road is long, in the blinking of an eye, ah that moment's gone . And when it's done, win or lose, you always did your best, cuz inside you knew... (that) ONE SHINING MOMENT, YOU REACHED DEEP INSIDE. ONE SHINING MOMENT, YOU KNEW YOU WERE ALIVE…”

Words & Music: David Barrett Hodges Song Supply/ASCAP

For the last 25+ years, college basketball fans have enjoyed this addictive song as it’s attached to the most memorable visual moments from March Madness and the Final Four. It inevitably includes shots of highlight dunks, the raw emotion of the competition, highlights from the year’s “Cinderella,” and typically the most captivating buzzer beaters from the tournament. It helps any fan of the game relive the previous three weeks in about 200 seconds. In the end, you’re left with the images of the winning team in their championship t-shirts and hats, celebrating with the trophy and cutting down the nets.

But what about the team that is on the other bench during the “one shining moment?”

A magical and memorable season for our small rural high school ended last Friday night when the visiting team knocked down a 3-pointer with no time remaining, giving them a 51-50 win and a place in the regional final. Their fans rushed the floor, the hero, a senior guard who hadn't scored in either of the two games I scouted, was on the floor under a pile of teammates and coaches, and the officials frantically signaled the basket was good as they sprinted off of the floor.

And there we stood. My guys looked like the description you hear of survivors of an airline accident – walking around dazed and confused. Then reality hit as some fell to their knees at mid-court and sobbed, while others pulled their jerseys over their faces to try to hide the tears. After congratulating the other team and coaches, our lifeless players staggered to our locker room while I fell into my seat on our bench, just staring at the ground. What now? What do I say to them? I never prepare to lose.

After four or five minutes , I stood to walk in to address our guys, but was met by them returning to the floor. We have had a tradition of saluting and thanking our fans, win or lose, after every game by going to our section of the bleachers and clapping for them, and spending time talking to each one that wants to talk. The players realized that in their state of shock, they had not done that with what was our biggest assembly of fans in years. And they wanted to do the right thing. So they stood, cried, talked, hugged, and even posed for pictures for nearly half an hour.

When we finally made it to the locker room, I had three goals in mind. First, I wanted to keep it short. After millions upon millions of words I had spoken to them through the course of a season, there is not a more distracted audience than a locker room of guys who've just been surprised to find their season, and some their careers, over. Secondly, I wanted to remind them of their accomplishments through the season; accomplishments that could never be taken away. We finished 20-3, a perfect 14-0 in conference and won our conference for the first time in school history. We were ranked as high as fifth in state polls, and enjoyed a 17 –game winning streak. But we also united two communities behind a group of guys that they adopted as their own. You see, our school is so small, three seasons ago we combined with a smaller school in the area to have enough to play sports. The schools that were once bitter rivals, are now joined just to be able to compete, and some in the community weren't  quite ready for it. But that seemed to change this season, and fans from both communities stood side by side to cheer on the one team that represented them both.  And finally, I wanted to communicate my unconditional love and concern for them. A season may have just ended, and ended with a rare loss, but that doesn't change what I think of them or the fact that I love them. They are like sons to me and we all cared a lot, which is a reason it hurt so much. And in the end, I wouldn't trade any of our experiences and relationships for a chance to replay the final play.

So, the next time you see that last-second shot swish through the net, a team chase a hero around the gym before tackling him, an exuberant coach pointing to his family sitting up in the stands, and the crowd rushing the court with unbridled enthusiasm, remember, there’s always a team on the other side of someone’s “one shining moment.”

This was a post from guest blogger, Paul Whitt.  Coach Whitt is the Director of Athletics & Head Boy's Basketball Coach at Goodman/Pembine High School in Wisconsin.  You can follow Coach Whitt on Twitter by clicking HERE.

Building Relationships

Building relationships are crucial in any job, but they are extremely important in the realm of coaching.  Without true relationships between a coach/player, coach/AD, coach/media, or coach/administration, there will not be any trust. Relationships are built on the foundation of trust and that trust can only be built by loving and being committed to serve others.

As a young coach, I am learning more daily how to become a better leader and how to enhance my relationships with the people I surround myself with.  I like to believe that one of my strengths as a coach is my ability to genuinely love others and make them feel comfortable talking to me.  I'm not a talkative person by nature, but God has given me the unique ability to relate to people and gain their trust.  I look forward to the opportunities I am given to impact others simply by showing an interest in something they love.

Although many relationships are developed by servant leadership and displaying love towards someone, more relationships are maintained through tough love.  In my limited experience as a coach I have had to work with people in ways which they do not like.  College athletes, especially basketball players, do not typically like being told that they are wrong.  Many coaches will deal with an issue like this in one of two ways. 1) They will lash out at the player by yelling and insisting that they are right, or 2) They will give in to the player and let him do what he wants, even though the coach knows it will not make him a better person.  In my opinion, neither of those tactics is the wise way to handle players.  If we truly desire to build relationships with our players we must love them first.  We need to tell them things that they don't want to hear and love them enough to show them how they can make themselves a better player and person.

There are three simple acts that we must contribute to if we truly want to build successful relationships.  The three are:

1. Be Available - As a coach this could simply be having an open door policy for a player to come into your office and talk about life.  It could also be something such as offering a helping hand anytime they may need it.  Reach out to others and offer your talent/knowledge to make them better. (1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 10:24; Ephesians 4:12)

2. Listen More - Sometimes as coaches we feel that we need to talk, talk, talk.  There are times when the best thing for our team is to just listen to our players.  Listen for tips to run a play better.  Ask them to give insight on team functions and core values.  Asking questions and listening to your players is such a powerful way to build trust and ultimately build lasting relationships. (James 1:19; Proverbs 12:15; Proverbs 18:13)

3. Be Generous - Do something for someone without expecting anything in return.  Coaches and athletes alike tend to be very stubborn and selfish people, well at least if they are like me!  It is human nature to look out for yourself when really we should be looking to do something for another person.  Seek out opportunities to serve and make someone else's life better. (Acts 20:35; Matthew 6:21; 1 Corinthians 9:14)

"The heart of a coach - at least my heart - is the relationship you have with players." - Coach Dale Brown

"The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people." - Theodore Roosevelt