I believe I can share the shock and worldwide sentiment surrounding the death of Kobe Bryant. I've been quite numb for the last two weeks because of it. What I can say today is that for me, it's not the tragedy of his seeming untimely death that has recentered my focus, but the amazing trajectory of his life while he was here living among us. He was not only one of the greatest players in the NBA, but he was also an example of what real-life good stewardship lived and looked like. He was a consistent shooter when others didn't show up in the gym. It is one thing to practice your craft during a scheduled time that can be accounted for, its another altogether to dedicate your "free time" to fine-tuning and mastering the gift God placed in your hands. Kobe mastered his gifts and returned God's investment back to Him in his life on the court and also in his life off the court. He gave God back what was given to him while he was living. What is most beautiful to me is knowing that Kobe went to God empty. He wasted nothing he was given in this life. I had to pause and really ask myself, "Kesh if you died today, would you go to God empty?" My humble and transparent answer is "No, I would not."
Over the last week or so God has seen fit to remind me that time is His, not ours. We all have the same twenty- four hours. We all have a gift, a purpose, and a calling. It is up to us to decide to make the most of what we are given. The conflicting part about this is that if we take a moment to be honest with ourselves, many of us, myself included, have committed to everything except what God has placed in our hands. I've learned over time that purpose is cultivated in your submission to your assignment. The assignment is whatever season you're in that is necessary to prepare you to excel in your purpose. For example, those wanting to be an entrepreneur; your assignment could be as practical as working a 9 - 5 and yielding to the authority of a manager that you personally do not like. We get caught up in not liking the manager but miss the opportunity to learn how to run a business as well as how not to manage employees. We fail in our assignments because we don't have a mentality that pushes past what we see and oftentimes how we feel. Your feelings is a dangerous place to dwell in but we will save that conversation for another day. What made Kobe successful was not just his skill on the court but also the mentality he had regarding his own personal commitment to his own success. The #MambaMentality is less about skill and more about the discipline, obedience, and lastly the sacrifice that is necessary to make great what you have been given. We all watched him show up on the court for himself and for his team. We watched him retire and take that same mentality to the Mamba Academy to make others great. The question now becomes what are you, me, us, doing with what we've been given? Kobe did his part. Are we daily doing ours? We like to think we have more time, but the reality is we do not. I made a promise to myself at 7:00 PM on January 26th, 2020 that there is no more saying " I'll do it tomorrow." If it needs to get done, it's getting done today. My personal desire is to go empty daily in calling, in purpose, in life, and in love. You are the only person responsible for making use of your gift and you are the only person responsible for making use of the borrowed time we have. Take a moment and consider what you have committed to. Take a moment and be transparent about your work ethic. The flash may show up but it is the work ethic that shows out consistently.
I'll ask you as I asked myself, If YOU died today, would you go empty? Let this be the last day that you put off for tomorrow what you have time to do today.
Healing Is A #HeartPosture - Kesh C.
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