Ever watch the ESPN 30 for 30 series "Broke"? It documents the lives of former NFL athletes such as Bernie Kosar and Andre Rison among others, and how their fortunes rapidly disappeared. While Kosar's case was somewhat unique given that it was his family taking advantage of his finances, many other athletes find themselves filing Chapter 11 because of a lack of discipline. Jalen Rose explains it much better than I could:
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Which is why the story of Detroit Lions Wide Receiver Ryan Broyles has become so refreshing. Broyles, who has been with the Lions since 2012, has suffered a myriad of injuries that has threatened his career but he is thinking ahead. According to an article in ESPN, Broyles and his wife made the decision that they are budgeting themselves to live on $60,000 a year. Now, I know what you're thinking. "He makes $3.6 million! Of course it's easy for him to live on that when he has so much to save."
Well, considering that he is going into his last season of his rookie contract, and add on to the fact that he hasn't exactly lit up the league, he may be looking at his last contract in the NFL, which stands for "Not For Long" if you haven't lived up to expectations. Despite having their first child recently, Broyles' mindset going into this year is not about only 2015, but beyond. He says he has the mind of a "businessman" and that will serve he and his family well in the future.
Why can't we have that same approach when it comes to handling our resources? We often quote Matt. 6:24 "You cannot serve both God and money. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despite the other." We got to the altar asking God for provision yet not taking care of what He's already given us. We can't get to church fast enough when a prophet gives the Word, hoping to receive a prophecy that says in essence, "We're about to strike it rich! Here comes the blessing." We discussed maturity yesterday, and a benchmark of maturity is understanding the purpose of being a good steward of what God has already given us, for He will trust us with more if we prove ourselves faithful.
I remember watching a television series "The Lottery Ruined My Life," and it is a cautionary tale of what happens when the focus becomes so much on the material that the mental isn't strong enough to handle it. We can't ask God for blessings if we don't have the spiritual maturity to handle them. Broyles is displaying the type of discipline to see that it's not just about today, it's about being prepared for tomorrow, for a good steward always thinks about the future.
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