The winter of 2004 was a tough one on Boston Red Sox All-Star shortstop Nomar Garciaparra. The Red Sox put their star shortstop on the trading block hoping to land another top shortstop who was the 2003 MVP in the American League by the name of Alex Rodriquez.
Garciaparra of course was hurt by the trade that the Red Sox front office attempted to pull off. Now in the 2004 season, Garciaparra is entering the last year of his contract. Nomar is not even sure if the Red Sox want him or not for the future. The situation is very unsettling.
You have to wonder what kind of year Nomar will have. Mentally it would seem tough to bounce back from all the distractions and the pain that the loyal athlete suffered while watching his team trying to replace him. Yet, Nomar himself feels confident that he will be able to overcome those feelings because he is just part of something larger.
Garciaparra said any ill will with the front office doesn't carry into the clubhouse. "It's not hard at all," he said. "The uniform represents so much more. When I put it on, I'm representing myself, my teammates and all the other greats who have worn it before."
In your daily life, who are you representing? Are you representing your own self interests or those of the Master Coach?
Paul asked the church at Ephesus to pray for him so that, "... words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should" (Ephesians 6:19-21 NIV).
As an ambassador to Christ, Paul knew who he was representing. An ambassador is not employed to serve his own self interests but that of his government. Paul understood that.
We too are called to represent the interests of Christ in all that we do. Listen closely to the words of Jesus as recorded in Matthew:
"Then the King (Jesus) will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why:
'I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
'I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.
'Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me--you did it to me" (Matthew 25:34-40 THE MESSAGE).
As an ambassador, we do it for Him!
Develop a consciousness that in every play, every rep in life you are representing someone much bigger than you! How you play the game, how you live your life, and how you treat people casts a huge reflection of your heart upon the 'Jumbo-tron' for all to see.
No matter what tough breaks you get, no matter how people treat you, no matter what people say about you - be an ambassador. DO IT FOR HIM!
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