Proverbs 11:14“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”
I love March Madness.
I filled out my 2009 NCAA Men’s Tournament brackets yesterday. My final four: Louisville v Memphis and Pittsburgh v Oklahoma. I predict Louisville will battle it out with Pittsburgh, with Louisville getting the win.
Why?
Um, that’s where it gets a little fuzzy. My basic strategy, like much of America, is to go with the rankings. I trust what others have said. I defer occasionally to teams that I *want* to win—like Tennessee—for one extra round. And I’m partial to teams that have winning coaches with a history of pulling it out (I’m really trusting Rick Pitino).
So far I've won 12 games and lost 4. Thus, I’ve already conceded the $12 Million Perfect Bracket Contest to someone else.
I thought about getting serious this year and looking up more stats and reading up on individual teams so I could make more informed choices. (I did ask Jeff for insider tips but he gave me nothing—we’re pitted against each other.)
But seeking an “abundance of counselors” seemed like too much work. So with such little guidance, I’m liable to take a dive on my brackets.
For things that really matter, though, I must seek guidance. God is generous in providing an abundance of counselors.
He gives us:
Prayer. Scripture. His Spirit.
Godly friends. Time. Older leaders.
Opportunities. Past experiences.
Successes and failures.
Godly friends. Time. Older leaders.
Opportunities. Past experiences.
Successes and failures.
Combined together, he uses these to guide us into safer choices that lead to deliverance and victory.
Come April 6, I may not have experienced much victory with March Madness since I’m not following much wise counsel, but I know that God stacks the odds in my favor for overall victory in life. With deliberate care, he guides me through one game at a time, and despite the number of wins or losses, I’ve already won the Perfect Prize.
And $12 million can’t even touch it.
