It was September 8th, 2012, opening weekend in Athens for the University of Georgia Bulldogs. Coach Mark Richt had his team prepared for the first game against the Buffalo Bulls and among the players on the field was a young freshman tail back from Tarboro, NC named Todd Gurley. By the end of the game, everyone watching knew Todd Gurley was serious about football. Check out the highlights of his Saturday in Sanford stadium.
“Gurley, a 6-1, 218-pound native of Tarboro, N.C., rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries (12.5 avg.) against the Bulls. His second career carry was a 10-yard touchdown run while his eighth and final carry resulted in a 55-yard touchdown. Gurley became the first Bulldog freshman to go over 100 yards rushing in his season-opening debut since Danny Ware versus Georgia Southern in 2004.
“Gurley also recorded a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in his collegiate debut. This ties the school, SEC and NCAA records and is the fourth return of its kind in Bulldog history. He finished with 227 all-purpose yards and was named the College Football Performance Awards National Kickoff Returner of the Week.” (www.georgiadogs.com – Sept. 3, 2012)
Needless to say, the Bulldog nation was feeling some excitement at the promise of Todd Gurley’s offerings to the team. As we left the game and headed back to the camper, I looked at Facebook and saw a post from my BFF’s son-in-law, Jody, related to Gurley’s potential for the Dawgs. It said:
“Can someone please keep any drugs, alcohol, weapons, crazy ex-girl friends, stolen property, and expired drivers licenses away from Todd Gurley for the next four years?”
I laughed out loud at the post and then began reflecting on the truth of it. You see, the Georgia team has not been without its own problems in the past few years. In spite of the leadership of a godly head coach, promising young players seem to get themselves into a peck of trouble when they gain a little bit of status on the collegiate field and a little bit of freedom away from home. Isaiah Crowell, Washaun Ealey, Caleb King…..all with promising collegiate careers, until they allowed huge lapses in character and judgment. I can feel the pain of these young men…..I, too, made some exceedingly bad character choices in my younger years.
According to a story on Yahoo Sports News dated September 6, 2012, Todd Gurley does not want to walk the same path as some who have gone before him.
”You just want to stay on top of things and try not to make the wrong decisions,” he said. ”It’s so easy to get in trouble and so hard to get out of trouble.”
Can I get an AMEN?
Gurley gave us some wisdom right there, folks. Character choices require that we ‘stay on top of things’; that we determine ahead of time how we are going to act and stick with that plan. Are you going to obey the rules? Are you going to say NO to the things that would sideline you from walking out a godly character? Are you going to refuse to compromise?
Godly character choices do not happen by accident. They are intentional and well thought-out. I heard a shooting instructor give his students a word that definitely applies here. He was talking about learning to use their weapon and being prepared for any situation. He said that when the need arises to pull out your weapon, you do not rise to the occasion. Instead, you act out of what you already know.
So it is with our character choices. We must make choices based on what we have already determined to be a wise course of action. We must stay on top of things by walking closely with the Lord so that we can clearly hear His Spirit guiding us. If we are intentional about our relationship with the Lord, we will be better equipped to make good and right character choices in the future.
MEDITATION MOMENT: How intentional are you about your character choices? Do you plan to not put yourself in situations where your character would be questioned? Are you walking closely with the Lord through prayer, Bible study and fellowship with other Christians?
