Everything, but …

Here is an article on ESPN.com that has everything an award-winning Amy Writing Award entry needs, except one thing. Written by Kyle Whelliston, the well written column is titled, “Coaches lose shoes for a good cause,” and tells the story about what happened when Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) coach Ron Hunter coached a basketball game last year in his bare feet last year to raise awareness for the charity Samaritan's Feet.

Whelliston writes:

INDIANAPOLIS -- Ron Hunter sat in his office Wednesday afternoon, staring into his inbox on a blinking computer screen. As has been the case for the past year, most of the messages were about shoes.

"I can't keep up with all of these," said the IUPUI head coach enthusiastically. "We've had 80,000 pairs donated just today. And here's one from a guy in South Carolina who coaches seventh graders … all the coaches in his league are going shoeless this weekend. Isn't that great?"

One Thursday evening in January 2008, at the request of Samaritan's Feet, Hunter spent a game walking the sidelines without shoes or socks to raise awareness for a charity which collects shoes for impoverished children around the world. It was a simple act, intended to generate 40,000 pairs of sneakers for African children to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's death.
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That’s is what I love about God. He rewards humility and sacrifice, now, when Jesus walked in bare feet, and every time in between. Remember the story about the fishermen who fished all night and caught nothing. Jesus suggested they cast their nets one more time. The Bible says, “… they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.” (Luke 5:6 NIV).

There is so much imagery in Whelliston’s story with tie-ins to the story in Luke, but no direct link. Enough good gym shoes to fill a fleet of fishing boats, but no direct Jesus. I wish it did. If it did, I know we’d be reading this story in the later rounds of the 2010 Amy Writing Awards, but without identifiable scripture, it doesn’t qualify and I am left a little short.

But don’t let my disappointment that detract from reading this excellent story. God and good deeds jump off the webpage, just from between the lines. Perhaps it's another causality of the web editor's pen. (I know, sometimes I need one.)

Whatever, read this article. Good job, Kyle!