Hawks Completely "No-Show"

Facing elimination in a must-win Game Six in their first-round series against New York, the Atlanta Hawks responded with one of the worst performances in playoff history, getting completely blown off the court in a 140-89 rout. At one point, they were down by 61!

Astonishingly, Atlanta trailed by 47 points at halftime, setting a playoff record for the largest halftime deficit. Before both teams entered the locker room for their halftime break, the game had all but been decided.

With a thrashing of this magnitude, it's not surprising the Hawks' performance isn't short of critiques. Atlanta's defense was atrocious, while the offense struggled to make shots and maintain possession.

Even so, the underlying issue that infected every area of Atlanta’s performance was a tremendous lack of effort and energy. Watching the performance, you would have never guessed the Hawks were facing a must-win scenario with their season on the line. 

In sports, it's certainly understandable that teams will have poor performances from time to time.

However, it's a completely different thing to see a team with seemingly all the motivation in the world fail to muster the effort appropriate to the situation.

But before we excessively pile on the Hawks for their lack of effort, it may be wise for us to reflect on whether or not we have also been prone to demonstrating a lack of effort in our own lives. 

As followers of Jesus, we understand that God has called us to put forth great effort in every task we undertake.

Colossians 3:23 (NIV) commands us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

For us to work at something with all our hearts, it first requires a proper understanding of what work is. 

The Bible makes it very clear that work was part of God’s plan from the beginning. In the book of Genesis, we see Adam's calling to work in the Garden of Eden before his fall into sin, indicating that God had already established work for humans before sin entered the world. 

This doesn't mean every individual's calling is a vocational role outside the home. Still, it does remind us that those not hindered by physical abilities or limiting circumstances are supposed to be working hard for and with the Lord. 

Though we may not often think about it, the Bible actually defines laziness as a sin. The book of Proverbs, in particular, gives plenty of rebukes, warnings, and admonitions for the person described as a “sluggard.”

Proverbs 26:14-15 (ESV) says, “As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed. The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.”

Defined by Scripture, the sluggard is not merely a person who enjoys rest, which is a good thing for us to embrace in proper moderation. Rather, the sluggard is someone who refuses to work diligently at the task given to them, whether it's vocational or otherwise. 

Since God created us to glorify Him through the way we work, it's sinful for us not to faithfully engage in the tasks and responsibilities He has given us. 

Paul firmly rebuked those who gave in to laziness in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NASB), when he said, “For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.”

As believers, we should be a people who stand out for the work ethic that we demonstrate. After all, we believe and know that all of our labor in the Lord is never in vain.

Our passion and effort in our work both glorify God and clearly demonstrate that we know He rewards us for any faithful service rendered as unto Him.

So today, let’s assess our lives to see if there are any areas where we have been prone to laziness or a lack of effort. Let's seek to please the Lord by working with all of our hearts in whatever our hands find to do.

I’m Matt Osborne, and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the times I’ve chosen laziness over hard work. Please strengthen me to be a person who gives my all in whatever I do so You are glorified. Thank you for allowing my work for You, not to be in vain. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.