Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Linsanity!

Here he goes again. Last week I wrote about Jeremy Lin, who is taking the NBA and the entire sports world by storm. At the time he had already accomplished what few others had at the beginning of their careers. He had led his team to four straight wins as the point guard of the New York Knicks, averaging over 27 points a game and dishing at least 7 assists per game.

I was actually hearing jaded sports announcers talking about "divine intervention" as the only thing they could think to account for his rise from oblivion to stardom in a week. Incredibly, the legend continues to grow. Since those four wins in a row, Jeremy has led his team to two more wins on the road, extending the Knick's unbeaten string to 6, and averaging 24 points and 9 assists. Last night's game was a little painful for me, as it came against the Raptors. I just keep reminding myself, "lottery pick, lottery pick..."

Watch this video of his clutch performance at the end of the game against Toronto, after Jose Calderon had dominated him earlier.



So, what is Jeremy's response to his stunning rise to fame? "I'm thinking about how I can trust God more," the 23-year-old New York Knicks guard told San Jose Mercury News. "How can I surrender more? How can I bring Him more glory?" It's not the typical bravado coming from an NBA star in the making. His quote on his twitter profile is simply "to know him is to want to know him more," speaking of his relationship with Jesus Christ.

Not so long ago Jeremy was discarded on the waiver wire and wondering what his future held for him. Rather than despair and self-destruct as so many have, Jeremy turned to God, drawing strength from prayer and his devotional life. "I've surrendered that to God. I'm not in a battle with what everybody else thinks anymore," Jeremy said recently.

This is one of the key areas where Tim Tebow (one of Lin's heroes), and Jeremy are alike. They are able to do their best and leave the rest to God. Win or lose, it seems, their most important priority, on and off the court, is to bring honour to God. They are both fiery competitors who want to win, but they want to do it while maintaining their integrity and without compromising their faith.

It's a refreshing change. One way or the other, Jeremy Lin is in the spotlight now. I pray that he handles it well, win or lose.

Related Articles:
Is Jeremy Lin the next Tim Tebow?
Tim Tebow and John 3:16 - What's Up With That?
Tim Tebow Mania
Just Do The Right Thing!

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