WHY NOT

Although years have passed and injuries have done him dirty, one of my favorite basketball players will always be Derrick Rose. In my opinion, his agility, passion, and athleticism made him one of the best to ever step on a basketball court. However, I didn’t know of Derrick until several years after I got involved in the basketball world. I was about 14 years old and getting ready for basketball practice when I heard his name for the first time. I remember browsing on youtube trying to find the perfect motivational video, when a video with his picture popped up. It was a highlight of his best plays with motivational speakers in the background encouraging the listener to fight for their dreams. The closing of the video is what marked a before and after in my life, and what has inspired me to write “why not?’

Take a second and ask yourself why not. Why can’t you be all in for what fires up your heart? In my case I’ll share with you some of the stories I’ve told myself that have kept me on the edge of fully believing that I could help young people set a solid foundation for the years to come. 

I am too young, no one would listen to me, I don’t have the equipment that others have so I can put out a good message, I am not as educated as others, I’ve failed to apply what I preach… and so on. 

Somehow the society surrounding us has taught us that to accomplish our dreams we need to be some kind of superhuman. Those who make it in sports “were blessed in their athletic ability” , those who built a successful start up “were struck by luck” and those who achieved an abundance of finances “made some deal with the devil”. Is like the norm is to conform with an ordinary life because the “great life” is only reserved for a few; for God’s favorites. However, I’ve found that nothing could be further from reality and to prove it here is a quick story. 

He was a shepherd boy who took care of his father’s sheep while the town they lived in was being attacked by an army. One day his father sent him to his brothers with provisions and food for the war. When the boy got to the camp he encountered terrified soldiers who were being bullied by a fat and tall soldiers from the other army, in other words a human whale. “ Who will you send to defeat me, you cowards” he’d shout. Since no one wanted to man up, the boy said “I’ll go down there and bring his head back, for he doesn’t know he is insulting the army of God.” Everyone thought he was playing, how would this little kid go down there and defeat this giant soldier? Not even our strongest soldiers dare to face him, they said. But considering no one had the courage to try other than the kid, the king allowed him to fight. To make the story short the kid ended up defeating the whale and bringing back his head to the king. This is a real story, the kid’s name is David, and you can find it in the bible. 

What we see in the story of David is that despite all the reasons why he was inadequate to defeat the giant, he chose to believe in the God who goes before him. I suspect David was nervous and his legs were probably shaking as he was going down that hill to face the giant, but I can also see him trusting that God is adequate where he wasn’t in every step he took to approach the giant. Here is what I want to tell you, just because we are young doesn’t mean that we can’t accomplish what God has placed in our hearts. Those dreams are there for a reason, and the reason is to show us that God can use us in unimaginable ways if we allow him. Like quoted in the book DO HARD THINGS by Alex and Harris Brett, “but I learned once again that if I allow fear to keep me from doing hard things, I’ll miss out on the most exciting adventure life offers; obeying God.” I know believing that your startup will work out is difficult, I know your parents advise you on giving up on your dream of being an artist because that’s not a real career, I know leaving your job to start fresh at a different career doesn’t look financially appealing… You can tell yourself a million reasons why it won’t workout, but let me give you one why it will! The story you are writing has little to do with you and much to do with the fact that God uses broken people like you and I to share his love and abundance. 

For those who don’t know, Derrick Rose was asked what kind of expectations he set on himself after finishing up a magnificent 2nd year in the NBA. Here is what he said, “It’s high, the way I look at it within myself, why not? Why can’t I be the MVP of the league, why can’t I be the best player in the league. I don’t see why…” He went on to be the MVP of the league despite being only 22 years old. Here is my invitation friend, dream big! So big that your legs shake when you think about them, then move towards those dreams with every breath you take… you do the possible and let God do the impossible.