Coaches: How are things at home? If you have children, how are they doing… in school? in their sports? in their peer relationships? in their relationship with God? If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you may be too engrossed in your coaching career and… spending too much time with other peoples’ kids instead of your own!
The Bible story in 1 Samuel is a classic example of a dad who was wrapped up in his work (a godly job for sure, but)… did not pay attention to what was going on at home. Eli was the high priest in Israel— a very prestigious job. He seemed well-suited for the job, too. Yet, he failed miserably on the home front! The Bible says, “His sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice” (1 Sam. 8:3 NIV). God was not pleased. God said that “… his sons made themselves contemptible, and he (Eli) failed to constrain them” (1 Sam. 3:13 NIV).
As a parent and the leader in your home you need to answer this question: If God applied the same standard to your family as He did to Eli’s, how well would you measure up? Eli ended up losing his credibility and his children and, in the end, his career as high priest too.
Eli “missed the mark” because he made some critical errors in how he conducted his job and how he reared his children. Let’s see what we can observe and learn from Eli’s mistakes: 1) Eli had the wrong emphasis. He was a godly man and did a great job of being high priest for the nation of Israel, but not to his own children. 2) Eli had the wrong expectations. He thought that his sons would “get it” because they were around him at home and at church. Thus…. 3) Eli set the wrong example. It’s pretty obvious that Eli did not live out at home what he did at work. He was totally focused on his job, but where his family was concerned he was “blind” to his own shortcomings.
Leadership at home is not about exerting power or control over your family. It is about giving of your time, your energy… yourself to the people in your life who should matter the most.
Maybe it’s time to step back and evaluate how you’re doing on the home front! I love the saying about the old man who, on his death bed, looked back on his life and wished he’d spent more time at work!!!! (I don’t think so!!!) Your kids are only young once. Make sure you’re pouring yourself into the lives of your own children as much or more than you are the lives of your players— other peoples’ children!
