The Milwaukee Bucks won their first game of the series last night against the Suns after dropping the first two games of the NBA Finals in Phoenix.

The Bucks were led by their superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had 41 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists. He scored 28 of his 41 points inside the paint, with his other points coming from 13-made free throws.

Giannis joined Shaq as the only player in Finals history to record back-to-back games with at least 40 points and 10 rebounds, as he had 42 points and 12 rebounds in Game 2.

For the Bucks to win this series, Giannis is going to have to carry them and is at his best when he’s not settling for 3-pointers, but being aggressive and getting to the rim.

During the broadcast, former head coach and current ESPN analyst, Jeff Van Gundy, explained that although the cliche “be more aggressive” is often used, there’s greater importance in players being “appropriately aggressive.”

He said, “I’m so tired of hearing ‘just be aggressive’…it’s just over and over you hear that’s all you have to do is put your head down and be aggressive, no, appropriate aggressiveness.”

I agree with Van Gundy that there should be a differentiation between the right and wrong way of being aggressive. Players can’t just randomly attack the rim without a strategy and properly channeled effort. They need to have the proper play, approach, and timing while looking for the best shot possible.

Whether in sports or life, knowing when and how to be aggressive can be a delicate process. Aggressive is defined as “pursuing one’s aims and interests forcefully, sometimes unduly so” or another definition is “very involved in activity.”

In our daily lives, we need to ask if we’re pursuing the right aims, interests, and activities with “appropriate aggressiveness”?

Just like Giannis needs to be aggressive, assertive, diligent, engaged, energetic, enthusiastic, and bold about getting to the rim and scoring baskets, we need to operate similarly when it comes to our pursuit of Jesus and sharing His love and grace with others.

However, we don’t want to “just be aggressive” to the point of being ineffective without a strategy or properly channeled effort. We want to seek the Lord for the “right play and timing” while we look for the “best shot” possible. If we aren’t careful, we can become forceful, feisty, pushy, or inappropriately aggressive and act in our own strength instead of His Spirit.

Aggressiveness also affects our approach to obeying God’s commands. We want to be zealous, passionate, devout, committed, devoted, enthusiastic, eager, and vigorous in our love for God and following His ways. However, we have to be careful to avoid inappropriate aggressiveness that turns into legalism…or as Paul puts it, “misdirected zeal.”

He writes in Romans 10:1-4 (NLT), “Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.”

The Amplified translation says, “Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for Israel is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a certain enthusiasm for God, but not in accordance with [correct and vital] knowledge [about Him and His purposes]. For not knowing about God’s righteousness [which is based on faith], and seeking to establish their own [righteousness based on works], they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law [it leads to Him and its purpose is fulfilled in Him], for [granting] righteousness to everyone who believes [in Him as Savior].”

When we surrender our lives to Jesus and place our faith and trust in Him as our Savior, we are freed from having to earn our salvation by “putting our head down and aggressively” trying to keep God’s law in our own strength.

Our righteousness is based on faith in Christ and we are filled with love and His Spirit, which empowers us to obey while we live out our faith and share it with others. We do so with the proper enthusiasm, zeal, boldness, passion, energy…and the “appropriate aggressiveness.”

I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I desire to be properly zealous and appropriately aggressive in the way I live out my faith in You and share Your love with others. Please empower me to obey Your Word, and help me remember I am made righteous because of Jesus and my faith in Him, instead of my works. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Discussion Questions for PACKS:

1. In what ways has your aggressiveness been positive and negative?

2. When it comes to sharing your faith with others, are you appropriately aggressive, too passive, or has your zeal been misdirected?