Texas Tech Lesson
Twitter is amazing, in 140 charters or less, you can change the world. But Twitter also has a very dark side.
Recently, the Texas Tech football team was banned from using twitter. According to the story, some team members were banned from using the social media tool because of violating team rules. And, understandably, there were a few tweets that were very insubordinate; however, I think that the coaches missed the larger issue.
This is not someone who is just a malcontent, this is a young man who is hurting. Someone who needs somebody to speak into his life and lead him better. But instead, the Texas Tech leadership shut down one of the most open tools for communication the players had.
I’m not saying that these players need an avenue to complain about their coaching staff like a bunch of prima donnas, but I think that the words behind those tweets belie a deeper issue. These young men need a safe outlet to voice their feelings. The player who typed this quote feels as if he is letting the entire team down. But instead of coming along side of him and leading him through this tough time, leadership, non-verbally told him to “shut up,” and his feelings or thoughts don’t matter.
We’re all busy. We all have agendas. We’re all under time crunches. But the undeniable truth is that people matter. People matter to God, and the should matter to us. They should matter enough to slow down and listen to the people God has in your life. Are they hurting? Do they need a word of encouragement? Do they need someone to understand?
Jesus spent time with people, Jesus listened, because people matter. If you’re too busy to slow down and listen, you’re too busy. In light of eternity, what’s keeping you so busy probably matters very little to God.
