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ARE YOU HUNGRY?

Imagine you have played over 1000 games in the NBA. You have scored nearly 20,000 points. Shaquille O'Neal is envious of your amazing career free throw percentage of 88.10%. You have played over 35,000 minutes of professional basketball.

You are the all-time NBA leader for 3-point shots attempted and made. If all that was not enough, you also have an Olympic Gold Medal for your participation with the US Dream Team 1996.

Now, with all those accomplishments, wouldn't you think you could just take it easy? Rest on your many accomplishments? There would be nothing left to learn? Let's face it you are a veteran. You don't need to improve your game. There's nothing left to prove. Why try to learn something new now?

If you are Reggie Miller, the player profiled above, the answer is a resounding no to resting on his accomplishments. The answer is a resounding yes to learning more to improve your game. Miller has spent many hours watching video of players such as Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant, and Allen Iverson.

Why? According to Sports Illustrated it is because Miller is hungry to learn more moves to improve his game. Miller said, "Hey, I'm not proud. If I can learn from the young guys, I'll do it. That doesn't mean I'll come down with a killer crossover like Iverson, but there are a few things I've learned." After all these seasons, Miller is still learning and refining his skills.

Further Reggie Miller also realized when he began to play for Coach Larry Bird that he had much to learn. "You think you don't have anything more to learn in this game, and along comes Larry Bird."

It is important for athletes to have the humility to consider themselves students of the game. An athlete like Miller has an edge, because he is willing to learn moves from other players to take his game to a higher level.

Do you feel like you have nothing left to learn? If so, you have lost that edge that Reggie Miller has. In life, like basketball, it is important to realize that we have much to learn. While we are to learn from others, we are especially called to learn from our coach, Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ our coach says to us, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest…learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:28-30).

Like Reggie Miller, who is willing to learn from his coach, we must come to Jesus Christ hungry to learn how to win at life. When we commit our lives to learning from Christ, we discover the peace and rest that our souls long for.

Christ your coach calls out to you, "Come to me…learn from me."

Christ my Coach,

Steve Teel