“She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus –‘God saves’
—because he will save his people from their sins.”
– Matthew 1:21 (The Message)

Titles often command great respect. The President of the United States is considered to be the most powerful person in the world. Many nations around the world are ruled by kings and queens. We put our health in the hands of doctors and turn to our pastors for spiritual guidance. What about coaches? Do we fully understand and appreciate the level of respect that often goes with the title “COACH?” My guess is no!

In the book of Matthew, we are told of an amazing birth. Mary is to have a son, and Joseph is instructed to name him JESUS. He is called “King”, “Lamb of God”, “Prince of Peace”, “Servant”, and “Teacher” to name just a few. Do we fully understand and appreciate the meaning of these titles? Again, my guess is no!

As coaches, we are given a high calling. We are responsible for helping to shape the lives of the athletes we serve. Coaches can change lives. God is also in the business of changing lives. To save us from a life of sin, He came to earth as a baby. That baby, JESUS, took our sins to the cross so that we could spend eternity in Heaven with God, our Heavenly Father. As we celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, remember that JESUS is our Savior, and our only hope. But also remember, many of our athletes are looking to us for a little hope too. Merry Christmas.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the miracle of Christmas. You sent Your Son to change lives for eternity. Use me today in ways that I too can change the lives of those you have called me to serve. Amen.