Back in the late 1970’s I coached a college men’s tennis team. The college had never won a league championship and never had any top players. The athletic director and I managed to recruit a decent group of players, but they were certainly not a team.
Over the course of a year (starting months before the season started) I worked daily with this motley group. We worked on everything from fitness, strategy, tactics, stroke production, technique, hydration, hygiene and what it meant to be a team. I made sure everyone had fresh washed practice clothes & towels. I wrapped pulled muscles & blisters, and handed out water. I made sure there was absolutely no reason why my guys couldn’t be at 100% every time they stepped on court.
Even with 100% effort, we didn’t win every match. However, our efforts together did give the school their first league championship in mens tennis. Our #1 singles player went on to win the individual league championship and the prestigious Ojai tournament. It was an incredible year.
So, was I the perfect coach? Of course not. I stumbled, messed us, failed at times and made some bad decisions. What kept me in the right frame of mind throughout that year was that I knew I was not perfect. No one is perfect apart from Jesus. All I had to do was to give 100% of what I had control of and give the rest to God. At times my 100% only made up 30% of what was needed. I trusted God for the other 70%. I taught my players to do the same…to give nothing less than 100% of whatever they had, that day, and then be satisfied (regardless of the outcome) with the result.
I’m so happy that God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son for us (John 3:16). God loves imperfect people like me. In fact, ‘While we we’re still sinners, Christ died for us’ (Romans 5:8). Perfection in this world doesn’t exist. God knows that perfect people do not exist. We all fail…we all fall short. However, Gods love for us is bigger than our mistakes, and our shortcomings.
It is only through Christ that our 100% can ever hope be enough.
Living Life by Design 
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