Invest In Their Future
The Wisdom Of The Flawed
by Eric Elkin
“Guard what is owed to the Lord your God, walking in his ways and observing his laws, his commands, his judgments, and his testimonies, just as it is written in the Instruction from Moses. In this way you will succeed in whatever you do and wherever you go. ”
Four years ago, on an ordinary Sunday morning, the sports world was rocked by the tragic news that Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gigi were killed in a helicopter accident. The news hit many professional basketball players particularly hard. In the second half of his career and his retirement, Kobe became a mentor, a wise sage, and a father figure for many players. That his daughter was also killed only added a more profound pain to the tragedy.
The light of stars shines so bright it can blind people from seeing the whole picture. Such was the case with Kobe’s death. The world mourned the death of a superstar so deeply that they were blind to the other lives lost. Seven other people died in that accident. The lack of recognition made surviving family members feel their loved ones didn’t matter.
In the days following his death, people heaped praise upon praise on Kobe Bryant’s memory and legacy. I struggled to listen to all of it. Fans, journalists, and commentators always brushed over the ugly parts of Kobe’s life. Just when Kobe became a superstar, he was charged with raping a 17-year-old girl. He was never found innocent or even not guilty. After her name was released publicly, the young woman dropped the charges due to the overwhelming pressure from basketball fans.
The first half of Kobe Bryant’s basketball career, the years before the rape charge, was defined by selfishness. His career following the charge was radically different. Kobe became a leader on the basketball floor and a better husband and father off of it. His farewell to basketball won an Academy Award and brings me to tears every time I watch it. The wounds he inflicted and received enabled him to be an authentic voice in passing on wisdom to others.
“God has a plan for how to start anew…In those places and times of hardship, it seems appropriate to think about the newness and change and hope that comes when God takes twigs and makes cedars.”
Kobe’s life is very much like King David’s in the Bible. Both rose to prominence at a young age. They both built empires of different kinds. Their early rise to power and fame nurtured a sense of selfish entitlement. This selfishness brought both to commit destructive acts for which they needed forgiveness. And both turned their lives around and discovered wisdom. The kind of wisdom you want to pass on to others.
I found a cool website where prominent athletes shared letters they wrote to their younger selves. The letter Kobe wrote to his 17-year-old self sounds like what David shared with his son, Solomon, in this passage. The words are about humility and not doing things for selfish purposes. He reflects on how selfishness can harm others, even when you are trying to help them.
Kobe wrote, “Invest in their future, don’t just give.” Ultimately, I think this is the objective God intends for us. The purpose of following is not for selfish gain -- to make ourselves righteous. Inviting us to follow the laws, commands, judgments, and testimonies is a call to live for others. We should be about investing so others grow and experience an abundant life. May our lives reflect this wisdom.
Click to read 1 Kings 2: 1-4, 10-12
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