An ordinary person, when the pressure is applied on them and they are in the spotlight, will crumble more times than not, unable to produce under the weight of enormous pressure. A difference maker, a standout, relishes in the opportunity to succeed. It is during that time, when everything is riding on that individual, that you can see the true depth of their desire to succeed. On basketball’s biggest stage, Dwyane Wade showed the heart and drive of a champion, then used the stage to share his heart for his Champion in life.

His Life

Despite his outstanding stats in high school, Dwyane Wade was not the typical high school phenom who everyone expected to rise to the pinnacle of basketball. He played high school basketball in Illinois and led his team to the state championship game. He, then, was accepted by Marquette as a partial qualifier and it was there that his ascent to the top began. He was only recruited by a few major universities and Marquette was the place that God had appointed for Dwyane to start the next phase of his life.

He spent his first year focusing on academics and would start his playing career his second year. Wade was playing for a team that had fallen off of the national scene long ago, as Marquette’s influence and power in college basketball had faded since the glory days of their National Championship in 1977. What would happen in his two playing years would be the stuff that dreams are made of.

He had a stellar freshmen year, leading the team in scoring, but his sophomore year would be the breakout year. His Marquette team would once again rise to the top of college basketball as Wade led them to the Final Four by posting a triple double in the regional semifinal against Kentucky. He had led the Golden Eagles back to prominence with a return to the Final Four. At the end of the season, Wade declared himself eligible for the NBA draft and was selected as the fifth pick by the Miami Heat.

Last season, he carried the Heat to the NBA Finals and after falling down two games to none, Wade stepped up and led the Heat to the championship. He averaged 34.7 points per game and was voted the Finals MVP. He had become a superstar and now he had the attention of the world. His voice would be heard by millions and his image would be on billboards, magazines, and commercials. He had reached a place of influence that few of us ever reach, and he used it for the glory of God.

What He Did

He was given an outlet to express his faith and Dwyane ran with it. He gave thanks to God above all else, which is rare in this day and age of self-promotion, self-serving athletes such as Chad Johnson, Terrell Owens, Randy Moss, Manny Ramirez, and a whole host of others. He relinquished pointing to himself and instead, pointed to the One who truly deserved the credit, God Almighty.

After the season, Wade began to shoot commercials for his new Converse shoe, working along side Spike Lee. In one of the commercials, Wade dedicates the entire commercial to talking about faith. Did he have anything to gain personally by doing that? Nothing, except glorifying God with the voice that he had been given. Did he have anything to lose? In the eyes of many, the answer would be yes as some companies shy away from outspoken believers as spokespersons. He also faced some criticism about being too open with his faith when it was included in a commercial.

Dwyane Wade took the chance, knowing that God will bless those things that are done for His sake. He could have shot just another commercial full of highlights from his young career or one showing off his money and fame, but he took that time and gave it to God. He was criticized by Kel Kelly, the founder and chief executive of Westboro marketing firm Kel and Partners. She said, “He doesn’t just say you have to have faith, he says you have to have faith in God. I think there’s a lot of people who don’t have faith that are doing fine.�(1)
Truly, Kelly epitomizes what Wade talks about in the commercial; the lost. The critics of Wade’s commercial also fall in that category as they continue to attempt to silence the voice of believers. Wade may have opened himself up in the commercial for criticism from peers and the media, but more importantly, Dwyane opened the door for millions to be introduced to Christ through a shoe commercial. He said that his faith is the center of his being and as we look at his decisions and his life, there is no question that he strives to live as Christ.

What Can We Learn

We all can learn a valuable lesson from Dwyane Wade’s example. All of us have a moment of influence in our lives. It may be influence over the live of one person or, as Dwyane has been blessed with by God, influence over the lives of millions. We can learn that the moment doesn’t last forever and we have to take every opportunity that we have, every moment of influence, to advance the kingdom of God and reach out to others with the story and love of Christ, just as Dwyane has done. We also can learn that we have to recognize those moments, just as D-Wade saw an ordinary commercial shoot as an opportunity to witness to his fellow man.
Dwyane Wade has only begun as a professional basketball player and his influence will grow through time. His talent and ability came from the Lord and he has decided that this is his time to shine for Christ, not for himself. As he takes the court each night, he gets another chance to glorify God with his talents. Each time he is given a microphone, he has a chance to glorify God for his talents. It is men like this, with faith that doesn’t fear persecution, that we need more of in this world. He is one of the young stars of our time, yet his time and life are centered around the bright and morning Star. It is that outspoken faith that one day may change the lives of the critics and lead the lost to the Savior.

(1) Quote taken from “Converse ad may Wade into controversyâ€?, written by Jesse Noyes. www.business.bostonherald.com/businessNews/view.bg?articleid=167558&srvc=bizaccessed â€" 11/28/2006

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