“Then the Lord said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ ‘A staff,’ he replied. The Lord said, ‘Throw it on the ground.’ Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. Then the Lord said to him, ‘Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.’ So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand.” — Exodus 4:2-4
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I’ve read the story of Moses and the burning bush multiple times, and have even taught important principles from it. However, as I was reading Exodus 3 and 4 again recently, a key command given to Moses seemed to just jump off the page at me. God was challenging me with this amazing truth and concept.
Exodus 4:3 contains this specific command and instruction as God tells Moses, “Throw it on the ground.” Of course, God was telling Moses to throw his staff on the ground, and we’ll see why soon. In verse 2, God asks Moses what was in his hands. I’m pretty sure the almighty, omniscient God knew it was a staff, but God allowed Moses to answer.
I don’t see Moses in a sarcastic tone saying, “Umm, it’s my staff, God.” I picture more of a humble response from Moses where he basically says, “God, this is my identity. It’s my staff. I’m a shepherd. It’s my comfort. It’s what I’m good at and what I do.”
This is where it got real with me as I had to self-reflect and think through God asking me, “Jim, what’s in your hands? What’s your identity? What are you comfortable with?”
Our answers may differ, but honestly answering this question allows us to be completely transparent and real with God. Again, an almighty, omniscient God knows what’s in our hands already, but He gives us a chance to answer. He allows us to be all we are called and created to be by throwing down whatever is in our hands. What does He ask us to sacrifice? What is God calling us to throw on the ground? What is He calling us to give up for Him?
He has big plans for our lives, and only when we “throw down” our own goals and desires can He use us for His ultimate purposes and plan.
Personally, for me as a former high school basketball coach of 25 years, God was clearly asking me to throw down my whistle. It’s what I began doing in 1997 as I began my career as a 21-year-old basketball coach. It became my identity, my comfort, and my career for those 25 years. My dad was my high school basketball coach and it’s all I really wanted to do since I was 17 years old.
As I grew and matured, though, God broke me and started changing the desires of my heart. God was not just my Savior, but at age 43 I made him Lord of my life. I learned to surrender everything and make Him top priority. He had different plans for me, just as he had with Moses. God was preparing Moses and his leadership while he was a shepherd. Ultimately, God was getting him ready to be the leader to lead the Israelites out of Egypt to the Promised Land.
Just as God commanded Moses to pick back up his staff and obey, I knew God was calling me to obey Him as well. He was calling me from coaching basketball to start coaching the coaches. I am still coaching, but now it’s no longer basketball, but people. He was calling me to disciple, mentor and serve; to still coach but in a way I never knew possible. Dr. Billy Graham shares, “A coach will impact more people in a year than the average person does in a lifetime. So, who’s coaching the coaches?”
God wants us to obey even when we don’t understand, and especially when it doesn’t make sense.
I now have the privilege of serving with Nations of Coaches and coaching people, specifically college basketball coaches and players. I’m reminded of this quote: “We are best qualified to help and serve the people we used to be.”
For me, wearing a whistle became who I was. I slowly started worshiping the calling rather than the Caller. There was power in the whistle. Subconsciously I loved that power; I craved the identity of being a coach. It became my comfort, and when God broke me on Feb. 16, 2018, He was ultimately asking me, “Jim, what’s in your hands? Throw it on the ground.” Not a day goes by that I don’t thank God for the brokenness and the opportunity He has given me to throw my whistle on the ground.
I now ask you: What’s God asking you to throw on the ground?
— Jim Good
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