Reign

hold royal office; rule as king or queen.

 

Rain

… that falls visibly in separate drops

 

Dear 2020, pump your breaks.  WTF?!  Too much darkness this soon in the year really challenges my faith.  Thank God that we have 11 more months for redemption.  I pray for the light to reveal itself.

Two days ago, on a road trip with my sons, my eldest read words aloud that I knew were not true.  First off, it was reported by TMZ.  “Those guys are not credible sources,” I say… “it’s not legit.”  I couldn’t even give it another thought.  Secondly, it was Kobe Bryant…It’s just impossible.

As most teenage, basketball-loving boys were on Sunday, mine was glued to his phone… he was looking for proof of my assumption.  Then it began.  A flood of social media reports suggestion that it was, in fact, true began to change something in his eyes.  The confidence that prompted me to speak the words “it’s not legit,” turned into disappointment in myself.  Mom was wrong.  And it was true.  And it was sickening.

There’s no protecting your kid from this news.  You cannot even get the words out fast enough to try before they’ve seen it with their own eyes.  No time to coach, console, or even contemplate the entire scenario.

Social media has taken that all away from us.  This tragedy has proven that the world we live in is not our own.  It belongs to “initial reports” and forgone conclusions.  For this generation, it appears that this loss of a giant set ablaze the avenue of human connection most widely used.  As logic follows then, social media becomes the platform to grieve, console, and pray.  Hashtags and followers become their folded hands and church family.  And some Jesus, betta than no Jesus.

For this “old school” generation X-er, I don’t understand it… yet, I am comforted that they have an outlet in which to grieve collectively.  The lonesome portion of grief seems to be shattered when you are connecting with so many others feeling the same pain.  It is this generations’ “normal.”

These kids grew up on Kobe Bryant.  He was their Michael Jordan.  He was their Shaq.  He was their Kobe… and he was a giant.

For this ole lady, he was just a kid himself.  I knew him as the phenomenal baller that the rest of the world knew.  We watched him grow up on the court.  We saw him change the game.  We watched the press conference with his devoted wife.   We were “proud” of him like the elders.  The Kobe generation, however, saw him as invincible.

The relatability that existed between Kobe and that generation of kids paralleled my generation as he emerged into a grown up.

It wasn’t the basketball (although he obviously was a total bada** at it) that impressed me the most.  I most vividly remember Vanessa standing by as he took responsibility.  The sign of a man.  A loved man, and a man in love.  A person, for the first time, off the court.  We witnessed the giant become human.  And, for the older person, that seemed to impress even more than what we saw on the court (which is saying a whole he!! of a lot).

After making his mark on the game, he made his mark on the world.  “The next chapter,” as it would become known, would unknowingly punctuate his purpose on Earth.

In forty-one short years, he lived his purpose.  I read that he had great faith; and for the faithful, let us find peace in knowing He rests in everlasting life.  Shootin’ hoops with his little girl and coaching from heaven the ones he left behind.

Kobe Bryant became a basketball phenom.  He graduated the game and got his Masters in life.  He fulfilled his “Reign” as part of a team; and with his final chapter, he made it “Rain” upon us all.

 

I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.                                                        Job 42:2

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.                              Proverbs 19:21

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us.  Romans 8:18

 

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