What Makes a Wise GM?

With the NFL Draft starting tonight, my thoughts are drawn toward the role of a team’s general manager. For the most part, their resume or track record is based on which players are drafted under their leadership. There is very little room for error, and they count on their decision-making process to produce tremendous choices of players.  I tend to wonder what eventually leads a GM to pull the trigger on drafting a particular player. How much is based on game film, the player's pro day, the combine, or the interviews? Is a GM influenced by mock drafts and the media, or does he allow pressure from fans to dictate his choice? Is it an emotional decision or a gut feeling? Ultimately, there are two things a GM must heavily rely on when his team is on the clock: wisdom and knowledge. The wise GMs know the type of players to avoid and have the knowledge of draft history, while also bringing a deep understanding of the NFL to their draft selections. Unfortunately, we’ve seen plenty of foolish decisions by GMs over the years and a team suffers as a result. Each day you and I have many decisions to make. When coming up with our choices, do we rely on emotions? Are we swayed by the influence of the media…or feel pressured by outsiders? Or do we really seek to make wise decisions that are rooted in our understanding of God’s Word and knowledge of His will? The Bible tells us in Proverbs 9:10 (ESV), “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Proverbs 2:10-11 (ESV) further explains the importance of wisdom and knowledge: “For wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you.” The closer we follow Jesus and study His Word, the better understanding we will possess to make wise choices. If we rely solely on our own thoughts or limited perspective, without relying on God’s guidance, our decisions will leave us disappointed and mistaken. However, when we diligently pursue after God, we can count on Him to give us wisdom in our decision-making process. By acknowledging His desire for us to be wise, we can move towards making good choices in our lives. I’m Bryce Johnson and you can unpack that! PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I'm thankful that You provide me wisdom when I make decisions and face tough choices. Thank you for revealing Your character and showing me Your will through scripture. Help me to always come to You instead of trying to figure things out on my own. I'm grateful that as I seek You, my wisdom and knowledge deepen. I pray this in Jesus' name, amen.