Don’t Miss
I have been asked the question numerous times, “Can you see God?”. My answer, “How can you miss Him?”. Just stop for a second and BEHOLD! Look around, focus, look past the noise, see what others fail to see. Watch a bird fly, see a baby smile, look closely at the stars, or just look in the mirror.
The word “BEHOLD” is used 1015 times in the Bible. The word is translated from the Greek word eido, which literally means “be sure to see”. In the Bible, BEHOLD is used to call attention to something, point out a noteworthy occurrence, or involve a sense of the visual.
The earliest known use of BEHOLD as an interjection was in 1535 in Biblia: the Bible. The word comes from the Old English word behealdan, which is a combination of be- and healdan, meaning “to hold”. The earliest known use of behold as a verb was before the 12th century. By the 12th century, behold had settled into its current meaning of “to perceive or gaze upon”.
I have studied the art of making a shot in basketball for most of my life. I believe making a shot can be both easy and impossible. Mastering this art boils down to two primary criteria in my opinion.
- 1. Proper form or technique mastered by repetition.
- 2. Believing and confidence, which includes the ability to overcome all fear associated with missing the shot.
Most of your believing (faith) or confidence comes from practice and repetition. Most people who teach shooting ask the question “What do you look at when you shoot?”. The answer is usually the front of the rim or the back of the rim. I have even heard people say they focus even closer looking for a small chip of paint on the rim or one of the loops that hold the net.
For most of my life, I bought in to the concept of looking at the front of the rim. This theory says if you shoot with arc, backspin, and touch, if you hit the front of the rim, which is the softest impact point on the rim, then the ball will often fall into the basket. This is often called a shooters touch. I was taught this at basketball camps from some of the top hall of fame coaches ever, like Coach Dan Hays.
Those that say the back of the rim argue that with enough spin the ball that hits the back of the rim tends to go in more often. With breakaway rims now the back of the rim is not quite as stiff as it was back in the 80’s when I grew up. Although I still disagree, I can at least see why some make the back of the rim argument.
Experts have even studied the perfect arc to put on the ball to allow it to go into the basket most often and now have shooting machines that measure each shots arc when shooting. So how do so many people continue to miss shots?
I became a good shooter over the years, which helped me enjoy a solid high school and college career. The three point line came in the year after I graduated high school in 1987, so during that time, I focused on shooting FT’s and from around 15-feet, what is now called the mid-range. Then I realized my freshman season in college that my only chance to succeed at the next level was to master the 3pt shot. I lived in that gym that year increasing my range, strength and practicing the repetitions necessary to be successful shooting confidently at game speed.
Over the years, I have coached some of the best shooters ever. I did my best to pass on that knowledge I had learned to my players. Brandon Cole still holds the four year college basketball record of 527 Career Made Three Pointers. Steve Briggs still ranks in the top 5 with 498 made 3’s. Both shot over 42% for their careers and won National Championships going on to enjoy professional careers overseas.
However, one day while teaching a basketball camp just a few years ago, I asked another one of the best shooters I ever met and played with, Donnie Scott, what he looked at when he shot. His response to the kids that day was profound to me. Donnie saw what so many others failed to see.
First let me give some validity to Donnie’s shooting ability. He is second to only Steve Briggs in scoring in OKWU history. I once saw him at over 50 years old playing against college age competition score 50 points in a local tournament game. It was his third game of the day. How close of a view did I have? I was either screening for him or passing him the ball!
Donnie is a former high school coach and roofer on the side, who is one of the hardest workers I have ever met. We both had no nonsense dads who made a living working construction getting up at the crack of dawn daily. His father taught him the value of looking a man in the eye, giving a firm hand shake, and making sure that your word meant something. Donnie, most importantly, loves and draws his wisdom and strength from his Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.
Like many of you, Donnie’s life was not always easy early in life. Instead of letting that defeat him, it only made him stronger and led him to draw his strength from Christ Jesus. Like many people, spending hours playing a sport like Basketball was part of how he coped with life’s struggles. It made Donnie stronger both spiritually and mentally. It helped him see what others often refuse to BEHOLD and see. He has overcome a stroke and two hip replacements and still you can find him in the gym hitting shots during what the locals around town call lunch ball.
I wanted to share a little bit about Donnie, before sharing the wisdom he bestowed, or should I say he BEHOLD upon me that day when I asked what he looked at when He shot a basketball at a rim.
His Answer.
“I just get to a spot on the floor that I have been to hundreds and thousands of times. Once I am there, I know how much touch I must put on the ball when I release it. I look in the general direction of the basket, but my focus and confidence comes from thousands upon thousands of shots I have taken from that spot when nobody else was there but me and God.”
BEHOLD! It was the simplest yet most in-depth wisdom on what to look at when you shoot that I had ever heard.
The Definition of BEHOLD: To be sure and see. To focus at the highest level. To see and understand what most seem to miss.
BEHOLD this Christmas Season! BEHOLD the Lamb of God! The Savior of us all was Born in a manger in Bethlehem! Through this BABY we are given the strength and authority to do anything, all things, especially the impossible. You can too, through what is called faith, what you can’t see.
While it is easy to see and focus on the hate and the evil in the world, why not focus on what you can not see? Why? Because you have the ability to BEHOLD and to see Jesus! You have an option, an opportunity to look closer and see His infinite love and power all around you. Don’t Miss! Don’t Miss the true reason for the season! Just get to your spot and trust that the Good Lord who has been there time and time again will show up and come through as He promised! It just takes a little faith!