3 Dec, 2010
Without Honor
James has 38 in homecoming, Heat win 118-90
CLEVELAND – LeBron James insisted it was nothing personal. The final score said otherwise.
James scored a season-high 38 points — 24 in a third-quarter clinic — to lead the Miami Heat in a 118-90 blowout win over the Cavaliers, taming a hostile Cleveland crowd even before halftime Thursday night.
"I have the utmost respect for this franchise, the utmost respect for these fans," James said afterward. But he spent part of the second half taunting Cleveland's bench.
The game that mattered most to the franchise turned into its worst loss of the season so far.
"I thought he played great," Cavs coach Byron Scott said. "Simple as that."
It was James' first game back in the city where he played for seven years and won back-to-back MVP awards, but failed to win an NBA championship.
Before the game, fans peppered him with obscene chants and booed every time he appeared on the giant TV screens beneath the scoreboard. They held up signs that read, "Quitness" and "Play Like It's Game Five" — a reference to his playoff failure against Boston last season, when many fans — and owner Dan Gilbert — felt James had quit. There were five guys wearing a single letter each on their white T-shirts that spelled out: LeBum.
Story Excerpt and Photo courtesy of news.yahoo.com.
Mark 6:1-3 (NIV, ©2010)
A Prophet Without Honor
1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
What does Today's Story teach us about being "without honor" in our home town?
There's not much doubt that LeBron James is one of the best players in the NBA today. But from the response he received from the crowd in last night's return to Cleveland, he has lost some honor in his hometown. He's not the only one to ever have that experience.
We see in today's scripture that even Jesus struggled to gain honor and respect from those in his hometown. Perhaps it was because they still saw him as the little boy who ran around with their children. Perhaps there was a reason that his family were "too common." Perhaps it was something else. What matters is that Jesus knows what it is like to not get respect when he shared God's Story in his hometown.
Where do you find it most difficult to gain the respect of others in order to share God's Story? Often we find that place to be our own families. Often, as high school and middle school students, we find it to be our closest circles of friends from before we were following Jesus. Why is that? Most of the time it is because they know us so well. They know the areas of our life in which we struggle, and they focus on those areas rather than the changes that have taken place in our lives. However, we can't let that hinder us from sharing God's Story and how He is working in Our Story.
How can I connect today's God's Story scripture to My Life?
- Do you sometimes feel without honor? Ask God to show you some ways to gain the honor of others with whom you'd like to share God's Story.
- Ask God to protect you from the feelings that might come with not getting honor and respect from those close to you.
How can I connect Today's Story, My Story, and God's Story to Others?
- Ask God to give you specific opportunities to share His Story with a family member who doesn't seem to honor you.
- Ask God to give you specific opportunities to share His Story with a close friend from before you were following Jesus.
- Ask God to work in the hearts of those same friends and family members, preparing the way for you to share His Story.
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