If you are 5’6”, there are a lot of jobs you can do. You can be a doctor, lawyer, pastor, plumber, electrician, office worker, executive, factory worker, postal worker, police officer, fireman, EMT, and a host of other things. But an NBA player? That’s some tall aspirations! Most would say impossible. But don’t say that to Anthony Jerome Webb.
Anthony is better known in the athletic world as Spud. In fact, this is a nickname he has had since birth. Growing up in Dallas, Texas, “Webb had to prove himself as a basketball player due to his relatively small stature. As a high school player, he averaged 26 points per game and was one of 10 students out of 5,000 selected to the All-State team; however, his size prevented him from being recruited for Division 1-A colleges. Instead, he attended Midland Junior College in Texas, where he led his team to victory in the 1982 junior college championship. He then caught the attention of the coaches at North Carolina State University, where he went on to play for two years.”1
In 1985, Spud found a place on the Atlanta Hawks, playing point guard with them for six seasons before spending time with the Kings, Timberwolves, and Magic. In 1997, Spud retired from basketball. Today, he is “president of basketball operations by a new NBA Development League team to be based in Frisco, Texas.”2 The team is known as the Texas Legends and is a part of the Dallas Mavericks organization.
While what he accomplished in his basketball career is impressive, it’s not nearly as impressive as what he did in the 1986 NBA All-Star Game. Spud won the Slam Dunk competition, beating out several competitors as well as his own teammate, 6’8” Dominique Wilkins. “Spud’s dunks included an elevator two-handed double pump dunk, a reverse double pump, a 360-degree one handed helicopter jam and a delicious two-handed strawberry jam from a lob-bounce pass off of the floor.
“Sure there was probably an additional 3-4 points per dunk due to surprise factor, but
nobody could ever doubt that he produced a quality performance…Webb defeated teammate Wilkins with two perfect scores of 50 in the final round. Despite Wilkins’ powerful double handed windmill dunks and head above the rim throw downs, he just couldn’t get over the line.”3 You can watch this on YouTube and see just how amazing Spud Webb was!
Not bad for someone 5’6” and tipping the scales at 133 pounds!4
The devotional application today is very simple. Spud was not what you would typically think of as an NBA player, much less a star. He didn’t possess the obvious qualities. But, while everyone else was telling him what he couldn’t do, Spud was working hard to do it.
As Christians, we tend to size ourselves up for service by looking for the “obvious” qualities. We seem to have learned nothing from Scripture! When choosing the next king for Israel, 1 Samuel 16:6-7 says, “And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD’S anointed is before him. (7) But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”
God may have laid something on your heart to do for him but there seems to be many obstacles. There could be physical limitations on your part such as education, communication skills, aesthetic beauty (or the lack thereof), stature, or something else. There could be financial issues. There could be logistical hurdles to cross. Maybe you know what the Lord wants you to do but you have no idea how to even begin.
These would be enough to stop most people and keep them from doing what God has called them to do. They might be listening to the voices that tell them they aren’t suited for this or it’s just not a feasible venture. Fear and doubt may be overwhelming.
You have two choices. A. Listen to the naysayers and don’t bother trying to accomplish anything great for the Lord. B. Do what the Lord is telling you to do and let HIM work out the details.
If God is calling you to do something, do not let anything or anyone keep you from doing it. Remind yourself today of a simple truth found in Philippians 4:13. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
1https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/spud-webb-wins-dunk-contest
2https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spud_Webb
3https://themidfield.com/best-nba-moments/spud-webb-wins-slam-dunk-contest-1986/
4https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/webbsp01.html
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