Spiritual Triple Vision

I was first introduced to triple vision by one of my tennis mentors, Peter Burwash, at a training session in Canada many years ago.  He was a former NHL Hockey pro who became the number one tennis pro in Canada after suffering a back injury on the ice.  He studied ideas from other sports and applied them to tennis.

Most tennis instructors tell you over and over, "watch the ball".  If a player is constantly hitting the ball on the same spot on his racket, he is clearly watching the ball- the real problem is that he is not aware that he is either too close or too far away to hit on the sweet spot.

If you observe a professional athlete, notice how he is "watching" three things at once.  If he is a receiver in the NFL, he knows exactly where he is on the field, where his opponent is, and where the football is.  Watching slow motion replays on HDTV, you can see miracle catches where both feet are within an inch or two of the sidelines while the player's body is almost completely horizontal.

Spiritual triple vision works the same way.  In today's world, your opponent is shadowing you everywhere you go.  Your field of play is marked by boundaries, just like a football field.  The "ball" represents your goals.  If you work with your team-mates, you can score many touchdowns while keeping your opponent on defense.

Spiritual triple vision is crucial.  There have been times when I have found myself beyond the boundaries of the field.  Temptation is everywhere.  Our neighborhood borders on an Indian Reservation.  When I drive by, I can't believe how many cars are parked there.  One year,  the casino gave away free buffets for two on your birthday, I could not resist.  The offer included ten dollars of free slot play.  I went twice, once on my wife's birthday and again on my birthday.  The food was excellent, however, I felt awkward playing on the machines.  There is a reason for boundaries, it is to protect us.  Once the ten dollars was used up, I pushed the credit button and turned in my slip for one dollar.

Stay focused on your goals while also keeping your eye on your opponent.  He is bigger and more clever than ever.  Pay attention to the boundaries and make all your plays in bounds.  Rely on your team-mates to set up a strong offense and you will score often, no matter what position you play on God's team.