Spiritual and Basketball Responsibilities

(Lyrics to "Responsibility" by the band MXPX)

Responsibility? What's that?

Responsibility? Not quite yet.

Responsibility? What's that?

I don't want to think about it; we'd be better off without it.

We are all accountable for things in this thing called life. We are accountable at work, at home, and at play. At the root of all of our accountability is our God-given agency. We are free to do whatsoever we will with what we have in our lives. We must be responsible with the agency that we have been given or else we will be throwing away this great gift. Many people take this gift for granted. Sadly, MXPX had it all wrong! We need to embrace this gift of agency and responsibility and realize that we would NOT be "better off without it". In fact...it is critical on our path to happiness!

The only thing that is truly ours in this life is our right to choose. Our possessions/riches are not our own. Not even our bodies are not our own. "Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We must recognize that what we have been given is God's and that we must use our agency to come closer to Him.

We all are naturally good at things. Some are very smart. Some are crafty. Some are artsy. Some are athletic. Some are...you catch my drift. These talents come from God. He has given all of us spiritual gifts to bless our lives and the lives of those around us. We all have our own individual roles in our lives. We need to find what that role is and then do our absolute best to magnify our responsibilities.

Here is a basketball example:

Derrick Rose

Kobe Bryant

Kevin Durant

Each team needs to have players who are good at certain aspects of the game so that the team can have success. Each team should have a starting line-up with a point guard, a shooting guard, a small forward, a power forward, and a center. Each team needs someone at each position to maximize their role and strive to do their best. There are certain players that are exceptional at doing that. As a fan of the game and the NBA I believe that the following players would be best at finding and making the most of their gifts. Point Guard: Derrick Rose. Shooting Guard: Kobe Bryant. Small Forward: Kevin Durant. Power Forward: Kevin Love. Center: Dwight Howard. Sixth Man: Jimmer Fredette (the Jazz better draft him with the twelfth pick...). All of these players recognize their gifts that they have been given and they know that they are accountable for them. They all maximize their talent and (with that recognition) would make a great team. Can you imagine a team with Derrick Rose leading the offense, driving the lane and finding an open Kobe Bryant to hit a clutch jumper? Or Kevin Love throwing a deep outlet pass to a sprinting Kevin Durant for a fast-break play? Or Dwight Howard getting an offensive rebound and then throwing it down with authority for a dunk? Or Jimmer Fredette coming off of the bench and torching up the scoreboard with fancy footwork and deep, deep, deep threes? WOW! That would be great! But it would only be possible if they all came together and maximized their gifts.

Kevin Love

Dwight Howard

Jimmer Fredette

This principle is true with spiritual gifts as well. We all have special gifts and talents that are given to us by God. Moroni explains what some of these gifts are in Moroni 10:9-18. But I would like to focus on some of the more "underappreciated" gifts of the Spirit. Elder Marvin J. Ashton spoke of such gifts if the 1987 November Ensign article, "There Are Many Gifts". He said, "Let us review some of these less-conspicuous gifts: the gift of asking; the gift of listening; the gift of hearing and using a still, small voice; the gift of being able to weep; the gift of avoiding contention; the gift of being agreeable; the gift of avoiding vain repetition; the gift of seeking that which is righteous; the gift of not passing judgment; the gift of looking to God for guidance; the gift of being a disciple; the gift of caring for others; the gift of being able to ponder; the gift of offering prayer; the gift of bearing a mighty testimony; and the gift of receiving the Holy Ghost. We must remember that to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God. It is our right and responsibility to accept our gifts and to share them. God’s gifts and powers are available to all of us." I am certain that we ALL can pin-point that we have one or many of these gifts. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we all recognized and magnified these gifts that we all have and work together in the service of God?

We MUST do our best to share what we have been given. Joseph F. Smith said, "Every son and every daughter of God has received some talent, and each will be held to strict account to the use or misuse to which it is put." We need to use, share, and exhibit our talents so that we can help our friends and acquaintances bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (Moses 1:39). To do so would be to maximize our agency and responsibility. Responsibility? What's that? Well, MXPX, it is our door to immortality and eternal life.