In our Two Minute Clinic yesterday we discussed a very important life
and tennis principle – serving and receiving.
We started by remembering The Last Supper, the last meal Jesus had with
His disciples before His crucifixion. We remembered the first thing He did…
washed the feet of His disciples. I asked you to imagine that you were sitting
at that table and Jesus washed your feet. How would you feel. One of you said, “Good”.
Another one of you said, “Happy”. Another one said, “Humble.” Good, happy, and
humble is probably what He had in mind.
Then I asked you, “What was Jesus doing for His disciples?” You said
rightly, “Serving.” The Bible says that He did not come to be served, but TO
SERVE. And as His followers we are to do likewise.
The next scene we visited was a very sophisticated dinner party with
Jesus as the guest of honor. While the guests were mingling before dinner a
suspicious looking woman walked through the front door, went to where Jesus was
sitting, and began washing His feet with her hair. It didn’t take long for the
dinner guests to recognize the woman as one of the town prostitutes. Needless
to say the guests were scandalized and demanding that Jesus rebuke the woman
and send her away. Instead Jesus allowed her to continue washing his feet.
Then I asked you, “What was Jesus doing?” You said rightly, “Receiving.”
Though the Bible says it is better to give than to receive it does not say that
receiving is not important. Jesus did both.
I also asked you if you had ever met anyone who was only good at
serving. Some of you said that you had. It’s pretty frustrating being around
someone like that. I asked if you had ever been around someone was only good at
receiving. Many of you said that you had. It’s pretty frustrating being around
someone like that too.
Serving and receiving is a natural part of every interaction and
relationship. It feels unnatural if one person in the relationship is only
serving OR receiving instead of serving AND receiving. Like Jesus, we need to
excel at both; serving and receiving.
The very same is true in tennis. Some players only excel at receiving.
David Ferrer, the Spanish grinder comes to mind. He has one of the very best
receiving games in tennis, but his serving game is limited. As a result his
potential has a very strict limit. Some players only excel at serving. John
Isner, the American bomber comes to mind. His service game is one of the very
best in tennis, but his receiving game is weak. As a result, his potential has
a very strict limit.
For us to live in our full potential as tennis players and as disciples
we must master both – serving and receiving.
Prayer
Dear Lord, like You, please help me to lead with service and master
receiving as well.
Drill
Serving and Receiving. Place two receivers on one side of the net; one
on the deuce side and the other on the ad side. Place return targets on the
other side of the net. Place two servers on the other side of the net. One
serving to the deuce side and the other to the ad side. Place serve targets in
the service boxes. Let each player serve/return 10 to 20 balls and rotate.
Verses
John 13:3-10
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into
his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from
supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it round his
waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples'
feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped round him. 6 He came to
Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered
him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterwards you will
understand.”8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered
him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to
him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to
him,“The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet,[a] but
is completely clean. And you[b] are clean, but not every one of you.”
John 12:3
Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she
poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was
filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
