Responsible

The apostle Paul lays out for us in Romans 5 a sense of cause and effect - a pattern for the development of godly character, which is directly related to the trials we face.  We can see these
verses:
(3) we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

That direct line from trial to triumph is also found in James chapter 1 and 2nd Peter chapter 1.  We are not to disparage our trials; rather, we are called to rejoice in the circumstances that we perceive as negative and recognize that God is at work even in our tribulations.  Our challenges in life - our tests - come to measure the degree to which we are allowing Christ to live through us and to prepare us for the next test.  If we pass, we can rejoice and continue to move forward.  If we fail, we can still rejoice, learn from our mistakes, and allow God to teach us and empower us to do His will.

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The book of 2nd Peter speaks of developing godly character, and God uses the challenges of our lives in order to grow us in Him.  After reminding the readers that we have become "partakers of the divine nature," having been given incredible promises, Peter writes:
(5) giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,
7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The live sports offerings that can be viewed on television, cable, or phone these days are certainly few and far between in the age of Coronavirus.  The simulated NASCAR events have garnered a lot of attention, because of the fresh concept, but basically, sports fans have been relegated to watching repeats of previously held events and perhaps ESPN documentaries, such as the one that has been running about the final championship season of the Chicago Bulls.

So, I would imagine that the beginning of the NFL Draft last night resulted in a huge sigh of relief.  Even though it was not held in a large auditorium or even the streets of a city, the end result was preserved - the best of the best learning of their next stop after their college football careers.

And, there were few surprises: Joe Burrow was selected #1 by the Cincinnati Bengals, and Tua Tagovailoa was taken at 5 by the Miami Dolphins.  The fact that Montgomery's Henry Ruggs was drafted a few slots higher than his Alabama teammate Jerry Jeudy might have been a bit of a surprise, but the teams know what they are looking for and who fits best.

The Los Angeles Chargers knew that they needed a quarterback, with the departure of north Alabama native Phillip Rivers, so they took Oregon's Justin Herbert in the first round.  They also had the #23 pick, which they obtained from the Patriots.

With it, they took a young man named Murray from Oklahoma.  Not Kyler, last year's #1 pick by Arizona, but a linebacker named Kenneth.

The Cowboys, who selected Kenneth's teammate Cee Dee Lamb at #17, had posted a video interview with Kenneth, according to Sports Spectrum.  This year, since teams did not have the ability to talk in-person to prospects, utilized video chats.  In fact, the whole draft program was centered around team leaders and players connecting via their homes.

The article on Murray relates the content of a video with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who asked him about a setback or challenge he had experienced.  Here is what the young man said:

“I wouldn’t say it’s more so a setback, I’d say it’s more so a blessing,” Murray said. “If you look at it the way I have and my family has, it is a blessing. For me, I learned how to be selfless at an extremely young age. I learned what true gratitude is at an extremely young age because of what I went through. When I was growing up, my mom and my dad did some things that were true acts of selflessness. Around the age of 11, my parents adopted three special-needs kids.”

The article goes on to say:

According to NFL.com, it was 2009 when Murray’s parents, Kenneth Sr. and Dianne, learned of a family being investigated by Child Protective Services. As the pastor of a Baptist church in Missouri City, Texas, Kenneth Sr. had a heart to help those in his church, so he and Dianne agreed to take care of the children while the biological parents tried to get approval from CPS.

So, since the parents were never "deemed fit" to take care of their eight-year-old daughter, as well as her two brothers - one three years old, the other an infant, the Murrays stepped in to adopt the trio.

Now-older adoptive brother Kenneth related in that interview with Jones: “That’s a time that my parents were leaning on me a lot given that I was the oldest,” adding, “It really forced me to be what you guys see on the field now, which is the product of a kid that’s a go-getter. … It’s definitely a situation that molded me and made me who I am today.”

When Murray announced that he would enter the draft, he had said that he wanted to appropriate some of the money for long-term care for his adopted siblings.  The article notes that he had said he would take care of them when his parents were no longer able to.

Kenneth Murray is certainly dedicated to his faith in Christ. The article notes that he was "an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, as he served on the leadership team at OU and was a speaker at several FCA events." The story says:

Raised by a pastor and a police officer, Murray witnessed and learned Christian values such as serving and protecting others.

In announcing his intention to enter the NFL Draft, Murray released a video on social media in which he first gave all glory to God. Along with the video, he referenced 1 Thessalonians 5:24, which says, “The one who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.” In his social media profiles, Murray lists himself as a “Follower of Jesus Christ.”

The question posed to Kenneth Murray can be instructive for us, as we consider how we have responded to setbacks or challenges in our lives.  We do have choices: we can allow those instances to help us develop in the Lord or to derail us.  Young Kenneth, who was 11 at the time of the adoption, decided that he would be more than just a positive influence, that he would pour his life in to his new siblings.  He allowed those circumstances to make him a better person.

Kenneth apparently grew up in a home where discipline was key - his father was a preacher and a policeman - there was certainly a faith element, and he has seized it, desiring to be faithful to His Savior.  God can develop in us a sense of responsibility: to be obedient to His principles and to willingly and joyously seek to please our Savior.