Dharius Daniels - Don't Choke

Ecclesiastes chapter 11, verse 4 says, «Whoever watches the wind will not plant, and whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.» I want to pause right there and discuss this subject during our time together: Don’t choke. For those of you who aren’t aware of my interests outside the pulpit, I am an avid and ardent sports enthusiast. I love sports, and to whom it may concern, I would like to proudly announce that I’ve decided to renew my personal commitment. I was on the fence, but after much prayer and contemplation, I received a revelation: I need to stick with the 49ers! I’m announcing my new deal right now—I signed my new deal; I am back as the number one San Francisco 49ers fan! Clap your hands for me and my new deal, everybody!

One of my favorite sports is basketball. I had the privilege of playing basketball throughout my life, from ten years old all the way through all four years in college. I remember one distinct experience I had at a critical juncture in my high school career. It was a district playoff game that would determine some regional seeding, and the game was already in overtime. There were point something seconds on the clock—not even one full second. My team had the ball; we shot and missed. My good friend Carlos got the rebound. Before Carlos could jump up in an attempt to put the ball back in the basket, he got fouled on the floor. It’s not a shooting foul; it’s a one-and-one foul, meaning that we were in the bonus. So, we get one shot; if we make that one, we get another chance to shoot the second free throw. But here’s the issue: Carlos could jump, but Carlos couldn’t shoot. Okay, Carlos, if you ever watch this, no shade, bro.

So this is what happened: my friend Ernest Curtis and I picked up in our senior year that there were times when the refs would remember who committed the foul but not remember who actually got fouled. When Carlos got fouled, I strolled up to the free-throw line and stood there as if I was ready to go. The ref was not paying attention and proceeded to give me the ball so I could shoot the free throws. I was standing at the line, cool, calm, and collected because I could do this. As is my custom, I took one dribble, spun the ball, and said to myself, «You a bad boy.» Two dribbles, spun the ball, said to myself, «You a bad boy.» Three dribbles, spun the ball, put the seams right, bent my knees to shoot the free throw, and as I shot, somebody screamed, «Miss it!» The scream affected my concentration to the degree that I missed the shot. We went into a second overtime, eventually a third overtime, and we ended up losing the game.

Now, I had the confidence to make that shot; I had the competence to make that shot; I had the capacity to make that shot, but I did not make that shot. There’s a word we use in sports circles to describe what I did: I choked. Somebody say «choking.» You see, choking is when an individual or team finds themselves positioned at pivotal points in the game where they are unable to execute their duties and perform to their potential because of the pressure. These individuals understand what’s expected of them and possess the competence and capacity to meet those expectations, but the pressure of the game, which is tied to significant moments, affects their concentration and, in turn, affects their ability to deliver in a way that is consistent with their potential. Ladies and gentlemen, it means they miss shots they should make, drop passes they could catch, and miss putts they should sink. Because in the realm of sports, it’s possible to choke under pressure.

Just as it is in the arena of sports, so it is in the arena of life. It is possible to know what we could do and what we should do but find ourselves in pivotal moments in life, under pressure and unable to do what we should do and what we could do. It’s one thing to do it; it’s another thing to do it under pressure. This subject of choking is so consequential because of a principle I call the principle of execution. If we’re going to live lives that are fulfilling for us and fruitful for others, if we’re going to live lives where we experience life change and are able to make contributions that change the world, we must embrace and understand this principle of execution. Here it is: the direction and condition of our life are not just determined by our ability but also by our execution. Somebody say «execution.» Here it is again: the direction and condition of our life are not just determined by our ability but also by our execution. It is execution, not intention, that determines the direction and condition of our life.

What if I told you it is execution, not intention, that determines the condition of our mind? Our mind doesn’t end up in a good place just because we intend; rather, our mind ends up in a healthy place because we follow the blueprint outlined in Scripture. We follow the path to peace. The Bible doesn’t say we think our way into peace; it says we put our way into peace. You said over here, and y’all said you were going to give me amens right here!