Navigating Your Demeanor

We all know that navigating our coaching demeanor (our outward behavior) to reflect our faith can be challenging.  

We have standards and expectations for our athletes, and we coach them to reach those standards in their sport. But often, it’s easy for us to lose our temper quickly when they’re not as dedicated as we’d like for them to be. Or we become more focused on their performance than the fact that they are a soul on our team for a season and we have a responsibility as Christian coaches to guide them spiritually.  

It can be tempting for us to feel like we must turn switches on and off; when the coach switch is on, the Christian switch is off. But according to our verse for today, that is the farthest thing from the truth. 

Scripture says that whoever walks in integrity walks securely. I think of integrity as the state of being the same person no matter where you are or who you’re with. Granted, there are exceptions such as with our family which is intimate. But deep down, you’re the same person living in all of the areas of your life. We shift a few things to adjust ourselves to environment and people, but we CAN be a Christian coach who still expects greatness out of their team. And we can do that securely.  

We don’t have to be looking over our shoulders, wondering who heard this or who saw that. We get the peace that comes from being a Christian first and allowing that relationship to flow into every other role we have in this life.  

So how does this work? We can take the nod from Psalm 119:9, which tells us we can keep our way pure by guarding our way according to His Word. Verse 105 of the same chapter tells us that His word is a lamp for our feet and a light to our path. Studying and meditating on Scripture and keeping God’s commandments - that is how we remain the same across the board.

When we become like Christ, that is the identity we live out of in front of and behind closed doors. When we abide in Him, He grows us to become just like Him.