“We don’t have to agree on anything to be kind to one another.” (Toby Mac)
One day while I was a high school student, a bunch of us were playing pickup basketball at a nearby gym. I was playing well and doing my fair share of trash talking that day. Finally, my friend had enough of this as some of my verbal barrage was directed at him.
He told us that he didn’t want to play any more and that we all had to leave. You see, he was the one that had the key to the gym and had opened it up for us to play. He literally took his ball and went home. He didn’t have very thick skin and didn’t react to the situation very well. I, on the other hand, was not very respectful as I acted like a punk.
Most of the time, showing respect to people (even those that you don’t think deserve it) is more a reflection of your character than it is a reflection of theirs.
Dan Wood is the Executive Director of the National Christian College Athletic Association. He joined the NCCAA national office staff in 2000. Dan was the recipient of the 2016 Professional Excellence Award from Southern Wesleyan University’s (SWU) School of Education. He serves on the Advisory Board of Sports Spectrum Magazine, is a member of Greenville Connect Ministry, and as a member of ALIVE Wesleyan he has provided leadership in building and capital campaigns and youth ministry. Prior to his time with the NCCAA, he was involved in Christian Higher Education, beginning in 1987 as a professor, coach, and Athletic Director at Christian universities. Dan was awarded NCCAA and NAIA Coach of the Year in Men’s Soccer and Men’s Golf; received the NCCAA Meritorious Service Award; and was inducted into SWU and Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Athletic Hall of Fame.