Take The Shot

[Music] it had all the excitement you can ask for a junior varsity basketball game we were playing our arrival at home and the gym was packed we were down the whole game and went up by one the place was rocking but the cheering fans went silent with 8 seconds left when the other team hit a miracle shot our coach called a timeout we huddled around as he mapped out the last play I was in 10th Grade and to tell you the truth I was really nervous I had never played in a game like this before the coach set to play for my teammate and I breathed the sigh of relief we all put our hands in the middle and screamed break the ref handed my teammate the ball and blew the whistle we ran the play but for some reason he threw the ball to me I turned around and had a wide open shot my mind was racing you're going to miss you're going to lose the game so instead of shooting I passed it to another teammate who caught the ball with 3 seconds left and threw up a prayer the ball went up hit the back of the rim and bounced out the buzzer sounded we lost we all walked into the locker room with our heads down the coach walked in afterwards and said good game guys you tried your hardest don't worry we'll get him next time as we started to file out he said Charlie can I speak to you for a second I knew I was in for it he said you know you cost us the game said yeah I know goes let me tell you something and I want you never to forget it I've been coaching for 30 years when I choose who goes on that court with 8 seconds left I know exactly what I'm doing if you don't believe in yourself enough to shoot at the very least believe in me and shoot anyways he walked out and I sat in that locker room overwhelmed with a feeling of gratitude that he believed in me and frustration that I didn't even believe in myself you know some of us don't really think we're great we may act and dress and walk in ways to get other people to believe it but deep down we don't we don't have the confidence to take on tough tasks we don't think we can make a real impact on the world why because we think we're not the ones who should shoot the last shot we weren't born with that amount of talent looks money or resources to make a difference it's someone else I'm the bander and then every morning God commands us to start our day the same way before we do anything we say I acknowledge you the master of the world the ultimate coach the one who knows everything you gave me back my soul with love you put me on the court today if my eyes are open that means there's a reason for it there's something that only I can do only I can be there's a shot you need me to take but I don't feel like I can do much I don't have that strength I'm not the person that lives my life with that level of purpose I'm just regular and we end with Raba you have faith in me but it's not just Faith Raba a lot of faith you really believe in me we remind ourselves eles at the start of each day that the master of the world Believes In Me there's something about me something about my talents my weaknesses my background and my potential that even if no one else in the world including myself thinks as much the ultimate coach does and so even if we don't believe in ourselves we have to commit to shoot anyways to try those things we're scared to try to say the words we're uncomfortable saying to fix the problems that we see but assume that only a greater person can handle the ultimate coach put you on that court for a reason you have the opportunity take the shot