The press conferences of Alabama’s head coach, Nick Saban, can be highly entertaining. When you’ve won as much as he has, and you have the job security that he does, you can basically say whatever is on your mind.
He regularly goes on funny and passionate rants – usually because he’s frustrated with the media. His latest diatribe involved his thoughts on how the media predicts who is going to win which games, and how well each player is going to do this season.
As sports fans, we know this is part of the deal and join the media in our own prognosticating. But Saban isn’t amused by any of this, and recently made this response to the media:
“Why do we even play? Why do we even have practice? Why do we compete? Why do we coach guys? How they need to improve. I mean, you guys got all the answers to how guys are gonna be, what they’re gonna do…how good they are…so why would you ask me?”
I’m not exactly sure what Saban hoped to get out of his scolding session at the press conference, but I do think those questions are pretty reasonable for every player and coach to answer. Asking why someone plays, practices, and competes is something worth pondering.
How about in our own lives – do we ever consider the why behind our decisions? Do we remember why we married our spouse…or why we chose our profession…or why we get up and go to work…or why we choose to love and forgive people?
Even more importantly, do we think about why we follow Jesus…and why God sent Him to earth to die…and why it’s worth surrendering everything to follow Him…and why we believe the Bible is true?
We don’t want to just go through the religious motions without having a reason for doing so. Instead, we need to be motivated by the why behind our devotion to Jesus.
In some ways these questions lead to unique personal answers, but there are Biblical responses to some of these questions, as well.
1 John 4:9 explains why Jesus came: “God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him.”
Verse 11 of the same passage tells us why we love each other: “Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.”
Verses 15 and 16 give us truth about why we obey and love God: “All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in His love.”
Also, Romans 3:23 (NLT) affirms why we need a Savior: “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”
Finally, Romans 6:23 tells us why Jesus died and why we’re saved: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Today as Nick Saban wonders why he coaches, let’s each contemplate the “whys” in our own lives, and accept what Jesus says in John 14:6 (NLT) as the answer:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can unpack that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I admit I’m a sinner in need of a Savior and thank you for sending Jesus. I believe Your Word is true and Jesus is who He says He is, so I choose to surrender to Him. It’s in His name I pray, Amen.
