Hard Work

I've never really been much of an NBA guy, but I'm intrigued by the NBA playoffs and excited about the Finals, namely because of Dirk Nowitzki. I've enjoyed watching LeBron, D-Wade and Bosh with the Heat, too, as they've sacrificed personal stardom to be a part of a better team. But Nowitzki's been unbelievable. He's a very talented player, but he's excelled because of hard work. I grew up in a time of Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, two of the most notoriously hard workers in sports history.

The truth is, no matter what your field is, you're going to be working with or competing against talented people. Often, hard work will separate the good from the great. Nowitzki spends hours in the gym perfecting his shot. Bird and Jordan were known for spending hours alone working on moves and shots. They weren't just talented, they were relentless workers. Do we work that hard at perfecting our craft? Do we spend hours getting better, even if we've already achieved some of our goals. Are we satisfied with good when we might could be great.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might." You might not compete for a World Championship, but God has called you to do something...to be something. God has given you a talent and place in the world. Are you putting in the extra mile to be the absolute best you can be? We all want God to bless us, but are we willing to bless Him by following His word to do what we do with all our might? Sometimes, the answer is simply what your folks always told you -- Hard Work.