Hoosiers with Paul McDonald and Britt Mooney
This week on the Men at the Movies podcast, we tie a bow on March Madness by talking about Hoosiers starring Gene Hackman, Barbara Hershey, Dennis Hopper, and Indiana basketball. This is a story of second chances, and the reason we have been given that chance is to become a catalyst for transformation. Discipline does not equal punishment, but training, preparation, and maturation. When you play the right way, you win every time. Lace up your converse, and make 4 passes before you shoot. Let’s discover God’s truth in this movie.
Quotes
We are given second chances to become catalysts for transformation. Norman disrupted the status quo of the entire town by changing what people believe about themselves and others.
Norman is a picture of what can happen when a man’s heart is set free and transformed.
Learning to play the right way makes you a winner, regardless of the scoreboard.
Finding out our gifts and talents, finding out who we are, comes through discipline and practice.
The fun is the benefit of the practice.
Life with Jesus will be harder than you thought, and more glorious than you can imagine.
Our second chances are a form of discipline. Did we learn what we were taught?
God wants our reliance on Him to be unconscious, a learned discipline.
The best coach in life is the one who connects others to the true Father.
Your gift is not just for you.
We don’t show up because we think we’re going to screw it up.
You have to take a risk to give someone a second chance.
Coach Dale would rather do it the right way and lose than do it the wrong way and win. He might be losing the job, but he won her heart.
Themes
Story of second chances and the reason why we have second chances—to become a catalyst of transformation by doing it the right way.
Norman’s success is based on doing things the way he knows is right: no one is bigger than the team, work for the open shot, offer second chances, don’t cave to the voice of the crowd, honors the effort and commitment of others, teaching discipline, fundamentals, and physical stamina. Norman spoke truth into the situation (Jimmy-you have a gift. Shooter-you’re embarrassing your son.).
Our gifts will bury us if we use it to try to please others. We have to decide what to do with it.
Like a basketball team, we have unique gifts to use in service to the Kingdom. Some shoot, dribble, pass, play defense, rebound. We have our unique role to play, and we need to understand who we are, and that comes through discipline and practice.
“My practices aren’t for your enjoyment.” That’s a short term sentiment with a long term vision. You can’t be a good player without hours of practice. The fun and enjoyment come after the grind.
Discipline does not equal punishment, but training and preparation. Practice.
There is a more abundant and full life available beyond your wildest dreams, and it is harder than you can possibly imagine. The players practiced harder, faced challenges from the crowd—that season was likely their most difficult they ever had. But it was the most rewarding and they wouldn’t trade any of it.
We try to avoid failure, or see only our mistakes. But God invites us to join him with our passion and our gift, despite our failures. Shooter was not named that for drinking or his shotgun—but because he played basketball in high school. But all he remembers is the shot that missed. But we are called to a purpose.
His gift was not his intelligence, or research or knowledge of basketball, but his presence.
Second chances come with risk. But when we fail, God will remind us who we are and call us back to our purpose.
If you play the right way, you win regardless of the results.
Resources
“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” —John 10:10 (NLT)
Christianity, the Christian life, has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried. - G.K. Chesterton
Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. - Howard Thurman
Men at the Movies podcast - The Replacements “I want a guy who wants the ball in his hands when the game is on the line.”
Questions
What second chances have you been offered? What did you do with them?
How have you offered second chances to others? What was the outcome?
How do you gauge your success?
What gifts do you have? How do you use them?
How are discipline and punishment different?
How have the most difficult times you experienced led to a time of glory beyond imagination?
What challenging circumstances are you facing today? What outcome do you hope for?