Well colour me gobsmacked.
I don’t follow the National Basketball Association, but even I know who Kobe Bryant is. That’s why I was as shocked as so many others at the news that the 41-year-old former Los Angeles Laker and one of his daughters were among nine people who died January 2020 in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.
Bryant’s entire career (1996-2016) was with the Lakers. He is considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time. His accomplishments:
- Five NBA championships
- 18-time all-star (a league record)
- NBA’s Most Valuable Player in the 2007-2008 season
- Fourth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
- Two-time basketball Olympic gold medalist
Tragedies are a fact of life in this world, but it seems like they don’t often happen to famous people.
That said, there’s a message in the midst of this horrible event. When even wealthy, renowned sports gods can unexpectedly die at an early age, what does that say to us ordinary folks?
The answer is plain: you and I could be done with this life before the end of the day. All our plans, our retirement savings, our accomplishments, our possessions, our relationships—in other words, everything we (and our culture) value—could be left at the side of the road.
That’s leads to another question: Do you believe you have a soul?
I know I do and I believe you have a soul, too And I know our souls have incredible value. God tells me so. Jesus of Nazareth (who many people believe is God’s perfect Son) says “What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?”
Kobe Bryant had everything our culture says a person could hope for: awards, fame, riches, relationships (a wife, Vanessa, and four daughters) and possessions. Now, I believe he faces his maker and has to account for every wrong thing he ever did and every right thing he failed to do.
I can write this because Jesus says “you must be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
That’s a tough standard. In fact, that’s an impossible standard for any human being to meet. And God knows it. That’s why He sent Jesus to this earth to show us how to live and then, for the people who believe in Him and follow Him, to pay the penalty for all the wrongs things they’ve done and all the right things they’ve failed to do.
The beauty of that gift is that God no longer sees our glowing wrongs. All He sees is His Son’s perfection.
We’ll never know where Kobe Bryant stood with God. But you can make sure you’re in the right place. Just accept the gift of Jesus and watch how He starts to change your life for the better right now.
Interested? Yes or no, post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation.
Frank's Cottage 
My heart is breaking for Kobe Bryant and his family right now. Did you know that one of his daughters perished in that crash, too? Oh, what sorrow this family now endures. I pray that they know the Lord, and if not, that God will surround them with His love, mercy and grace during this horrific time in their lives, and turn their hearts to Him.
May God continue to bless you, Frank, and all those whom you love!
A sobering day for sure, Martha. I updated the blog to include his daughter.
Maybe Bryant was an atheist and thus it would make absolutely no difference to him?
You might be right, though it doesn’t change what I wrote about.
Of course it does. You only have a belief, you have no evidence for it.
Thanks for your opinion. There’s all kinds of evidence for Christianity, but that evidence won’t be found in Frank’s Cottage. This is a something called “apologetics”; I suggest anyone interested in apologetics investigate websites like the Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry (http://carm.org/) or Reasonable Faith With William Lane Craig (https://www.ReasonableFaith.org/).
Actually it is reported that Kobe was a devout Catholic and attended mass the morning of the crash. He is now resting in peace and love with His Father in Heaven. Amen.