Jeremy Lin has become quite the basketball icon among fans of the NBA sport. One especially admirable thing about him is that he is a role model who recognizes the significance of standing in such a place. Many in China and Taiwan love him for the honor that he brings to the country, NBA fans love him for his incredible talent and skill, parents love him for his positive values and Christians like him for his consistently strong testimony about his faith. A recent YouTube video encourages views to pursue their dreams in partnership with the Lord.
Lin's most recent blog post at his website speaks of a verse that he put up in his apartment as a wall decal to remind him of the best way to stay rightly focused on the Lord as this new NBA season begins: "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10).
Lin recognizes the importance of a team working together as a unit to have a successful basketball season. He notes a secret to making that happen effectively: "Anytime I join a new team (which seems to be every year ha,ha), some of the most important things that I try to facilitate is team chemistry. I've always been a firm believer that the team filled with players who legitimately like each other, root for each other, and trust each other will have a higher chance of winning. Not only do you have a better chance to succeed, but strong team chemistry also makes the season that much more enjoyable. Many of my lifelong friendships have come from the game of basketball and so this preseason I really wanted to get to know my teammates."
He goes on to talk about the experience he and his team had when they went to China for the NBA Global Games, and how that experience was one that really brought everyone together in a positive way.
A couple of his fellow teammates attested to this and also to how well Lin handles the pressure of being a basketball celebrity. Hornets point guard Kemba Walker said that "We were talking about how some of us have cities on our backs that we represent. He's got a whole country, an entire part of the world, on his back. That's crazy to deal with. It was insane."
Another teammate, Hornets forward Marvin Williams, noted that "He's a humble, humble dude, and I mean that. When we went to China ... I've never seen anything like that. It was literally the most unbelievable thing I've ever seen. When we landed and the door opened there were instantly people rushing onto the place with cameras trying to find him. It was crazy. And he stopped and took pictures with everybody and signed everything, everywhere we went. He's always talking about how blessed he is and how fortunate he is, so you know he doesn't take any of this for granted. The thing I love about him is that he works hard and he loves to play this game, and at the end of the day, that's what makes it so cool to be around him."
In his humbleness, Lin doesn't hesitate to ask NBA fans who have asked to be a part of his e-mail list for prayer support for him, the team, and even those in other countries who need it:
- First is a praise to God for softening my prideful heart to have recently found supernatural peace and rest, regardless of my circumstances. As I start my 6th year in the NBA, I'd say I've enjoyed the first couple months of this season more than any other season, mainly because God is showing me more and more the intricacies of understanding that my identity as a person isn't in my job or performance, but in Him.
- Please pray that I would stay in this state of mind. As a very emotional person, I know it can be a quick change from being in a great place mentally/spiritually to worrying and being anxious about my life and future.
- Prayer that I would strengthen my prayer life. God has been tugging at my heart telling me that I am not the center of the universe. I wake up everyday and think about what I need to do and what I hope to accomplish. Most of my thoughts center around me, but recently I've been reminded that its not about me, it's about God. I am His servant and vessel. So prayer for me to not be so self-centered and to spend more time praying for other people would be great!
- Prayer for our team as we've started a Bible study and many of my teammates have shown a hunger to either learn more about Christ or strengthen their relationship with God.
- Prayer for my mom to find refreshment and revitalization personally and spiritually as she takes a couple of weeks off from work.
- Prayer for all the individual requests that you guys have been sharing through this email thread. We have spent time praying for many of the requests you guys have sent, and hope to see God work powerfully and miraculously in your lives.
- Please pray for those affected by the recent evil and violence in the world including Paris, Beirut, Syria, and other war torn countries.
