Tom Izzo Isn't God, But He's Closer Than Jim Leyland

Watching Michigan State run through the NCAA tournament was a lot of fun this year. It was good to see a team that wasn't expected to get out of the second round (they were a "5" seed) make it all the way to the final four. The team's success in the national tournament probably erased from most people's memory their utter failure in the Big Ten tournament. But I remember, for a good reason.

As I watched the Spartans falter against Minnesota in overtime, I was overwhelmed with questions. "Why is Kebler playing so much?" "Why did Izzo have to bench Chris Allen?" "Where is Durrell Summers?" "Why isn't Delvon Roe in the game?" When the final buzzer sounded, I was disappointed, but not without hope. Over the next few days, I heard Tom Izzo get lambasted on local radio shows, but I remained quiet (except for my occasional statements of "They're going to be fine."). I never doubted that Coach Izzo would have them ready to go (check my ESPN bracket, I picked them all the way to the final four). I certainly didn't understand his coaching decisions in the Minnesota game, but I had great confidence that he knew what he was doing, and he was getting them ready for the BIG DANCE. I trusted him.

I don't trust Jim Leyland. I haven't since September of 2006. I just don't think he's a good manager. During the unbearable collapse last season, and in the middle of that horrific "play-in" game with the Twins I found myself growing angrier and angrier with every Leyland misstep. He rewarded my mistrust by completely mismanaging the bullpen and costing the Tigers the division title. I don't know enough about the minutia of baseball to reasonably critique Leyland's in-game management, but what is clear to me is that is can't handle a bullpen, he over-uses young arms, he gives slumping veterans way too many chances, and he throws away too many mid-season games with his hokey "Sunday-off" lineups. Just one more win at some point in the season would have put last year's Tiger's in the playoffs. I do not trust him.

I know. It doesn't really matter whether or not I trust Tom Izzo and Jim Leyland. But there's a more important principle at stake here.

When we trust someone, we are more likely to do what they ask even if we disagree. When we don't trust someone, we typically won't do what they ask, unless it's obvious to us that they are right. When it comes to decisions that don't make sense to me, I give Tom Izzo a lot more latitude and a lot more grace than I give Jim Leyland.

But let me put this into the context where it is most important. Do you trust God? Your obedience to Him tells the story.

It's easy to say, "I trust God" and do the things you know He has commanded when they are easy. But what about those times when being obedient to God is going to be costly? It may cost you financially, socially, or relationally. Obedience to God might take away your comfort, your peace of mind, or your self-sufficiency. Most people (including myself at times) I've observed are willing to be obedient to God up to a point. But then they stop, because the cost is too great.

What are we really saying when we choose not to follow God because of the cost? We're saying to Him, "Here's where we disagree, and frankly, I trust myself more than I trust you."

Hebrews 11 says, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." In other words, faith is trusting God that He will provide for us the things we cannot provide for ourselves, mainly the things we don't even see that we need. Obeying God when it's easy is not a faith test. Obeying God when we can't see how it will possibly work out is true faith.

When I don't understand what Jim Leyland is doing, I criticize him because I don't trust him.
When I don't understand what Tom Izzo is doing, I wait patiently because I trust him.

What do you do when you don't understand what God is doing?