Complacent Disciple

My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, 12for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. (Proverbs 3:11-12)

If I could pick an athlete to choose for kids to model behavior from and become "followers" of that person, I'd go no further than the neighborhood I grew up in and lived in until I was 38 years old in East Houston. Jalen Hurts is from my old 'hood. His dad is the head football coach at Channelview High School.

Dad has apparently instilled a solid work ethic and sense of direction in his son. A recent issue of "The Daily Coach" ("Jalen Hurts and the Rent of Greatness" 8.21.25) put it this way:

"Complacency is a quiet threat to every high performer. With or without a trophy in hand, it whispers: “You’ve done enough.” But the truth is, excellence and mastery have no expiration date. Each day demands a renewed pursuit.

Few embody this better than reigning Super Bowl MVP and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. His path has been anything but linear—overlooked, doubted, replaced, tested.

Yet again and again, Hurts has risen. With faith, composure, maturity, compassion, and an unshakable perspective, he has built a mindset rooted in daily growth, not past accolades.

You can tell a lot about a person’s character not just when things fall apart, but when things go well. Success has never dulled Hurts’ hunger. As he and the Eagles enter the 2025 season as defending champions, their mantra is clear: Nothing is given. Everything must be earned again."

A disciple is never complacent. A disciple is a quiet leader who serves as well as leads, and in fact, a servant leader leads through service. Christ teaches up to and during his crucifixion on this notion of servant leadership. He washes his disciples' feet. 

Hurts exemplifies this ideal. Get benched in a national title game? Say nothing. Work harder. Criticized in your first few years as being a poor passing QB? Say nothing. Work harder. Live your life thinking of next steps while in your current job? Get a masters' degree while starting as a QB. 

Apparently, he listens, learns, is disciplined and follows someone's teaching. My guess is his father. The Lord disciplines us as well as we follow him and his teachings. His Word serves as a path in life. How do we handle adversity and success?

Pray with me: Gracious Lord, all I have is yours. For that and everything in life you've given me or put in my path as a test, I give thanks. For the adversity in life, I ask that you give me the endurance necessary to overcome it. For those temptations to turn away from you, help me to focus on you to overcome those and return to you. In Christ's name, Amen.