For the past month, people gathered around their television sets and screamed in joy or frustration at the results of the men’s college basketball games. A sport that is truly unpredictable, and this year did not disappoint with upsets, a large school being an underdog, UCLA, and two of the best teams being the big dogs from small schools, Gonzaga and Baylor. Not all college athletes will play professionally. In fact, for most of these players, this is their one and only stage. So, why do they sacrifice so much just to play a game? For them, it’s more than a game. It’s a passion.
When we have a passion, we focus on it and we do not worry that others may not appreciate our passion because it is not about what others think about our passions, but how we use our passions for other. Passions are laid on our hearts and we must pursue them. Some people are passionate about creating art with acting, painting, writing, or music. Other people are passionate about video games. Some people are passionate about politics. Whatever our passions are, we need to recognize that we have passions for a reason, and that reason is to make the world a better place.
In the movie, National Treasure, the character Ben tells the other character, Riley, that they don’t need someone crazy, but one step away from crazy. It’s not obsession, but passion. Passion is one step away from crazy and obsession. Passionate people make a difference in the world because they refuse to quit, even when people surrounding them try to convince them to quit.
Passion does not quit because the task becomes difficult. Passion digs in and become more entrained in the task during the most difficult times. The second day of the college basketball tournament, no one in America had a perfect bracket. Along with equity among the youth basketball programs that are producing players who are able to play at an elite level, the players on smaller teams have a passion that if they work together, then they can achieve anything, and one of the smaller schools did just that and won the entire tournament.
Passion never takes for granted the opportunities that are given. Two of the biggest college basketball schools did not even make it to the tournament this year, Duke and the University of Kentucky. Just because they have renowned programs does not mean they will succeed. They have to want it. They have to want it so bad that they work harder than anyone else. As a fan of Duke, I saw some of the lackadaisical attitude early in the season, and when they gathered passion, it was too late.
The same is for our own passions. We cannot take our opportunities for granted. The moment we begin to lose our fire, we will not produce the quality of work that we know we can. Once we realize that we need to become stronger in our passion, we can only hope we still have the opportunities in front of us, but if we don’t, we will have to find a different path.
Our passion can be our relationships. Our passion can be creating space for knowledge. Our passion can be creative and artsy. Our passion can be helping and serving others. In the year 2020, many chose to follow their passions. Some people helped bring people to health in the medical field. Others created art while they were in lockdown. Others found a way to serve those who are underprivileged. Others found a passion in standing, marching, or speaking for those who are oppressed. Some were able to fulfill their passions in their careers with different normality. Some found new passions, and some people discovered that the passions they once had were no longer a fit for them. Our passions may not be important to others, but it is important to someone, and that one person could have the influence to change the world.
When our passions are beneficial to others, we know we can make a positive influence on the world, but when our passions are selfish, we serve no one. Some people this last year have been so passionate about politics and their own political view that they have forgotten about those who believe differently than them are human beings. That kind of passion is dangerous, and it is that passion that can lead to division and wars. Some people were passionate about taking their revenge on others. Any person who harms others has crossed the line from passion to obsession and leads them to do insane actions. Passions do not harm.
If our passions harm others, then they are not passions, they are obsessions. If we have to argue and stomp our feet on social media that our passions are the only ones that people should follow, then not only are we obsessed, but we are toeing the line of crazy, and neither of these are passionate. Athletes are using their platform for the good of the community. Their passions have led them to serve others.
As we come to the end of lockdowns, we need to reignite passion and realize that we have to pursue the passion or end it and start a new one. We can sit in our rooms and wallow in pity for ourselves, or we can begin to see the beauty in life and move forward. The most satisfied people in life are those who pursued a passion. Those teams from the small schools that upset games in the men’s basketball tournament will talk about that game forever, as they should. They pursued a passion and achieved a milestone. We can sit back and judge. We can sit back and cry that we need to just feel our emotions. We can move forward and pursue our passions. The choice is ours.
For those of us in the church, let us choose to pursue our passions and create an atmosphere of love, grace, faith, hope, and kindness. If we can focus on what we can do and not on what we cannot do, our passions will not only be achieved, but they will benefit those who are on the receiving end.
Maybe the month of March was madness for you. Maybe the entire year was like the college basketball tournament with twists, turns, upsets, defeat, and wins. No matter what the madness is, our passions can create a place where we are able to pursue that which God has called us, and we will have that one shining moment.
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