The other day a gentleman asked me if I used to play basketball. I am 6’4” so I get that question quite often. I tell people I played but I had two things against me, I quit growing and I couldn’t shoot.

I lost my shooting touch in seventh grade. During games, I had made twenty two free throws without a miss. Then something happened. I lost my focus. Instead of fixing my eyes on the basket I began fixing my eyes on the crowd and the cheerleaders. Not only could I not make a free-throw but things became so bad I couldn’t make a layup.

Looking back I see how the same thing happened in my walk with Christ. I became blind when I began fixing my eyes on things of this world. I had to go to prison to get my sight back.

Things are back on track now and I am walking the path I believe God has laid out for me. I still can’t make a free-throw but spiritually I am stronger than ever, now that I have my eyes fixed on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith.

• fixing my eyes