Taking Turns

     As part of our job as educators it is important that we not only teach the core subjects of reading, math, science, and the social sciences, but also the intangibles of manners, etiquette, and other socially acceptable actions. One of the traits that primary and elementary teachers have to cross is that of teaching students the art of "taking turns". For many of our students the formal education setting is new and having to allow others to go first is something that has to be taught. Educators teach to "wait your turn", figure out "who's turn is it next?", and the skillful art of getting in line for a "turn". This is all a necessary part of becoming a functioning, well adapted part of society. We sure don't want adults out there breaking the line at a sold out movie, or walking into a crowded McDonald's and stroll right up to the cashier to place their order in front of everyone that is patiently waiting their turn in line. I suppose if it were a small child breaking the line most of us would not get too offended, yet when it is an adult that thought process would be slightly different, and well it should. The apostle Paul spoke to this topic in I Corinthians 13:11 as he commented, "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." The problem today is when it comes to taking turns in adulthood, it appears many people want someone else to take a turn while they sit back and watch. Guess what? It's YOUR turn!
    If you haven't figured it out by now let me be the first to enlighten you, there are an unlimited number of opportunities to serve in our own communities, states, nations, and abroad. You can volunteer, offer assistance, organize, start a drive, start a non-profit, step up, man up, whatever you want to label it but the main thing is to not allow others to do what you should be doing. It's YOUR turn! If you aren't sure where you want to be plugged in here are three quick action steps that will get you going in the right direction, Ask, Seek, and Knock (refer to Matthew 7:7 for more details on this one). The key to taking your turn is actually moving from thinking or talking about it and heading into the actual doing something about it mode.
     The recent protest by some of our professional athletes is rooted in good intentions, yet it is my opinion that good intentions that are not backed up by good actions are pretty much just words spoken. Tony Dungy, a highly successful National Football League coach and inspirational author and speaker recently related a story about something his father told him once about his actions. On the NFL Today show, Coach Dungy was being asked about the silent protest by athletes taking a knee during the playing of our national anthem and his response was that his father told him many years ago that "whatever you do make sure it will have a positive impact on others. If his actions would benefit others then it was a worthy investment of his time." That isn't the exact message, but you get the gist of what he was telling his son Tony. I would say the meaning of what the elder Dungy shared was to put your heart into something and then put your body into motion and go into action.
     Verbally supporting a cause or crying out that something must be done about an injustice in this world is all well and good, but guess what, it's YOUR turn to get involved. One of the athletes that has been in the forefront of the taking a knee protest is Colin Kapernick, the quaterback of the San Fransisco 49ers. Kapernick is attempting to bring attention to the social injustices that fill our news headlines and continue to shock and dismay. Mr. Kapernick has moved his involvement to the next level of stepping up by making a decision to donate one million dollars to communities and organizations that support communities in need. I would contend that this is a wonderful gesture on his part, and it absolutely does take money to make things happen, but to be completely honest, without people, without their hands and feet getting involved the money just won't get it done. It is going to take each of us stepping up to the plate and saying "it's MY turn!"
     It boils down to this, the things we want to see change, won't change until we do something about it ourselves. Attending church, placing our tithes in the offering plate, and then walking out the door until next Sunday is the pretty much the same thing as the silent protest that Kapernick is carrying out. We support the ministries of our local church or organizations with finances, but we must do more.  Or how about all of us that are paying our taxes, going to the polls and voting, but then heading back to the house and sitting on the couch watching the news and complaining about what is going on in our world. Until we accept the responsibility to "man up" and get involved with what we want to see change the "same old same old" will be the norm and change will not occur.
     We teach our children to "wait their turn", but as grown men and women it's time to take YOUR turn and invoke change that will have a positive impact on the world in which you live! Make a difference, make a change, it's YOUR turn!
Coach Carter