As difficult as it may be to believe, we are just around the corner from the start of the regular college basketball season.
And while there is significant buzz around many of the nation's top programs for the upcoming campaign, the Duke Blue Devils just received some great news that will impact their 2025-2026 season.
Twin brothers Cameron and Cayden Boozer, ranked as two of the top prospects in the 2025 high school recruiting class, announced their intention to play collegiately at Duke on Friday morning, giving the Blue Devils a huge jolt on the recruiting trail.
The news was noteworthy not only because Duke landed two of the premier prospects in the country but also because Cameron and Cayden are sons of former Duke star Carlos Boozer, making their commitments a continuation of the family legacy in Durham.
The headline announcing the Boozer twins' commitment on ESPN.com read, "Father's Footsteps: Boozer Brothers Pick Duke."
Though Carlos was very public in stating that his sons would be allowed to make their own decisions, he had a significant role in getting them to this point.
The elder Boozer spent 13 seasons as an above-average NBA player. During that time, he undoubtedly demonstrated to his boys the hard work and commitment necessary to succeed professionally.
While it is fun to see high school athletes following in their father's footsteps, as followers of Jesus, we have an even more extraordinary example and role model whom we should desire to emulate and follow.
Speaking of Jesus' earthly ministry, Hebrews 1:3a (NLT) says, "The Son radiates God's own glory and expresses the very character of God, and He sustains everything by the mighty power of His command."
One of the most glorious aspects of Jesus' time on earth was that He gave people a visible representation of what God is like. No one had ever seen God; now they looked at God in human flesh!
Jesus undeniably came to earth to do more than reveal God's character and nature more clearly. Still, we should not overlook that He succeeded in giving us a better understanding of who God is and what He is like.
In light of the revelations we have seen in Jesus's life and ministry, followers of Jesus are called to follow in His footsteps, emulating His character as we go about our everyday lives.
1 John 2:6 (ESV) states, "Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked."
Even when we face difficult times or persecution, we can look to Jesus' example and find strength through the Holy Spirit to walk through adversity in the same manner He did.
1 Peter 2:21 (NASB) says, "For you have been called for this purpose, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you would follow in His steps."
Ultimately, we know that we will all fall short of Jesus's example, so we rejoice mightily over the grace we have in Christ.
However, we should never utilize the fact that we will not follow Jesus' example perfectly as an excuse not to give wholehearted effort to follow His footsteps to the best of our abilities with the strength and vigor provided by the Spirit.
Rather than comparing ourselves to the people around us, we should always look to Jesus's example, measuring our lives against how He walked and demonstrated perfect obedience on earth.
When we do so, we certainly will be more convinced and recognize our sinfulness and inadequacy apart from Him. But at the same time, it will also drive us to deeper dependency and a stronger desire to live a holy life that accurately reflects who our God is.
Today, let's be encouraged to give maximum effort by the power of the Holy Spirit to follow in the footsteps of the One who never faltered as He walked on this earth. Let's look to Him as our ultimate example and make every effort to conform our lives to look more and more like His every day.
I'm Matt Osborne, and you can UNPACK that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to give me a clear, visible representation of who You are. Please help me follow in Jesus' footsteps, living a holiness and obedience that glorifies You. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.
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