Be Quick and Slow
On this day in 2014, the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Miami Heat 104-87 to win the NBA championship in five games. It would be the final championship for the great Tim Duncan, one of the finest big men the game of basketball has ever seen.
Duncan carried himself with class, dignity and humility. You very rarely heard him say a bad thing about another teammate or say anything negative when talking to the media.
Known as “The Big Fundamental,” Duncan would retire from the NBA at the age of 40, following the 2015-16 season. His career spanned 19 seasons and included five NBA titles and 15 All-Star games. Many consider him the greatest power forward in the NBA history.
But the thing that stood out when it came to Duncan was how he played the game. He was tough, he was a great teammate who never wanted any glory, and he was always slow to speak and slow to show any anger.
The Bible teaches that principle in James 1:19: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”
As followers of Christ, this is something we can all look to emulate, both in our spiritual journeys and in the daily routine of our lives. Look to listen more, look to talk less, and look to be slow to anger in allowing it to consume you, even during the worst of times.
Trust in Jesus and lean on Him.
— Jason Romano
If you would like to submit a reader devotional, please email all submissions to jason@sportsspectrum.com.
