Advice From a Dead Guy About What to Teach

Unintentionally I found myself digging far into the book of Titus from the New Testament today. The book is a letter from Paul to a young missionary he was mentoring named Titus. Titus was still in Crete, a place Paul had begun a church and spread the news of Christ, and Paul gave him some advice. The letter contained:
- instructions from the older Paul to the younger Titus
- regarding what the more mature (in faith) Titus was to model for the the less mature at Crete
- and what to teach the less mature
- including what the older generation was to teach the younger generation.

I guess I've come to see this letter as a sort of blueprint for what I should be doing in my job, especially as a coach. I believe I've stated before on this blog that if I sacrifice all the time I'm sacrificing and only teach my players basketball skills, I've wasted my time. I must teach them life skills, skills that will help them be better people and lead more successful lives. After today, I see this letter from Paul as a very specific list of skills to be teaching. And to be modeling.

After reading the brief letter, I think I've encompassed Paul's advice into 5 instructions for Titus. I stuck to the adjectives and descriptions that were mentioned several times and condensed the ones that were similar in nature. What I've come up with is this - Titus (and I) should teach and model the following things:
1. Be temperate/self-controlled/sober-minded
2. Develop a reputation of one who is 1)honorable and 2)zealous for good works
3. In actions to others, be obedient, respectful, humble, and peacable
4. Deny worldly lusts/desires
5. Be motivated by representing Christ

Obviously, I can't teach number 4 and 5 to my players. I can't argue with them the rewards of eternal desires rather than temporal ones, and I can't teach them to be motivated by representing Christ. Those I can't teach, but I can definitely model. The others, however, are excellent advice regardless of faith background. These, I feel, are key to life-long success.

As I look at the list, I feel like the culture or the media or perhaps just sinful nature cries out against these. Few are out there advocating any of this. The message instead is, "Go out and get drunk or high or distracted in some other way (television, for instance) from all sense of reality: escape responsibility, gratify yourself immediately, and live for the moment. After all, you deserve it. Build your reputation by buying stuff and showing it off (one of my favorite all-time quotes: "Americans are busy buying things they don't need with money they don't have to impress people they don't like"). Make sure everyone sees your new car or cell phone or house or lawn ornament or shoes. Create friction. Stick it to your boss - it's his/her fault for sucking. Complain. Loudly. And get your picture in the paper or on the news - get that recognition that you deserve."

I'm guilty of much of this. In the next few blog entries, it's my goal to take a look at these individually, explore what perhaps each looks like, where I fall short (or don't), what I can do, and why it's so important. It should be interesting.