5/15/2020 - Mamba Mentality (Endurance Stone)
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3
If you had the Infinity Gauntlet, what would happen when you snapped your fingers?
“From the dawn of the universe, there was nothing. Then…boom. The Big Bang sent six elemental crystals hurtling across the virgin universe. These Infinity Stones each control an essential aspect of existence.” – Wong (a very underappreciated character from the Marvel Cinematic Universe)
I spent several hours continually studying and going back and forth with this Christian Infinity Gauntlet and its Infinity Stones and with the Infinity Gauntlet and its Infinity Stones. I chose the colors and tried matching up all the Infinity Stones the best that I could. I think I did a pretty good job, too. There were some that could have gone in a couple different directions, but it is all one in the same. However, if you disagree with any of this, feel free to speak up. I would love to hear your thoughts.
“But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” 1 Timothy 6:11
When Paul wrote out 1 Timothy 6:11, he had order in mind. If he had order in mind, I think it is only right that I go through each of these Infinity Stones with order in mind. With that saying, we have done the previous four Stones (Righteousness, Godliness, Faith, and Love), now we will talk about the Endurance Stone. In accordance with the Endurance Stone I paired it with the Time Stone.
I chose the Time Stone for a couple of reasons. The first thing I did with all the Infinity Stones, I wrote down all the colors that coincide with each of the original MCU Infinity Stones. Then I wrote down how the color of those stones match up metaphorically with the Bible. Throughout the Bible, the color green is portrayed as: praise, growth, prosperity, new beginning, flourishing, and restoration.
Then I went and saw what the color of the original MCU Infinity Stone was. The green Infinity Stone was the Time Stone. The Time Stone could do a lot, but one of the main attributes is to have manipulate and control of time; even when it is “beyond” time (we will talk about more of what it really could do later).
William Barclay wrote, “Third, there comes the virtue which looks to the conduct of life. It is hupomone, The King James Version translates this patience; but hupomone never means the spirit which sits with folded hands and simply bears things, letting the experiences of life flow like a tide over it. It is victorious endurance. ‘It is unswerving constancy to faith and piety in spite of adversity and suffering.’ It is the virtue which does not so much accept the experiences of life as conquers them.”
Endurance to me is something that a lot of us lack and a lot of us seek. Endurance is being steadfast and patient, never giving up even when all the odds are against you. Endurance is more than having the literal stamina to run a race. To me it is the literal stamina to run and fight the good fight of life. There isn’t anyone that really comes to mind that embodies endurance more than the legend himself, Kobe Bryant. I have been waiting to do this devotional for a long time, it is based off of the last Bible Talk I did before I left for Florida.
On 1/26/2020, just before 10am PST, Kobe Bryant (41) alongside his daughter Gianna Bryant (13) and 7 others: Payton Chester (13), Sarah Chester (45), Alyssa Altobelli (14), Keri Altobelli (46), John Altobelli (56), Christina Mauser (38), and Ara Zobayan (50), tragically passed away in a helicopter crash. I was at work when I first heard about it from a coworker. I didn’t believe it when he told me. I was actually kind of disgusted. I thought to myself, “Really? I thought Twitter stopped killing people in 2017. And out of all people Kobe should be one of those people that are off limits.” Kobe Bryant was one of the greatest basketball players of all time and one of the most influential people and athletes of all time. Surrounding his death and still to this day I hear that he was arguably having one of the best 2nd acts of all time; which I agree.
Once Kobe retired, he didn’t stop. He continued to promote the game of basketball and help the people that surrounded it. He trained and worked with some of the league’s young stars. He trained and work with some of the world’s best women’s basketball players. He coached and trained his daughter’s basketball team. He was promoting and showing love to the WNBA (if Kobe did it, so should you). He left a legacy that we will never forget, a legacy that we will tell our kids about. Even if you hated him, you respected him.
One of the first things that you think of when you think of Kobe Bryant is his trademark “Mamba Mentality”. Kobe Bryant said, “Mamba mentality is all about focusing on the process, trusting in the hard work when it matters most,” he said. “It’s the ultimate mantra for the competitive spirit. It started just as a hashtag that came to me one day, and it’s grown into something athletes -- and even non-athletes -- embrace as a mindset.” // “Hard work outweighs talent -- every time,” he added. “Mamba mentality is about 4 a.m. workouts, doing more than the next guy and then trusting in the work you’ve put in when it’s time to perform. Without studying, preparation and practice, you’re leaving the outcome to fate. I don’t do fate.” People ask me all the time, why I work so hard and why I work so much. I always answer with a “I work stupid now, so others don’t have to and have it easier after me…I am just doing God’s work.” The Mamba Mentality for me is “is to keep pushing when there is nothing but adversary in front of you, to fight when you’re being forced to quit.” I am going to share a couple stories that I read, watched and listened to about Kobe. This is the kind of man that Kobe was, the embodiment of endurance and the embodiment of the Mamba Mentality.
Alex Rodriguez and Big Cat from Barstool Sports host a podcast called The Corp. One of the episodes they did they interviewed Kobe. Kobe use to play instead of “21” he would play “100”. He would literally in practice play guys to a game of 100. In the interview Kobe talked about the importance of practice. He said that practices are meant and should be competitive. He emphasized that practice should be over competitive so that you will be ready for the games (practice like you play). He hated “light days”, he didn’t believe in “rest days”. He went on to say that Phil Jackson never gave them a light day, there were no such things as days off. “You show up and you work in practice. Practices are going to be worse. They’re going to be more physical, there is going to be more trash talking, and I’m going to let you know. Right? If you didn’t show up today, I’m going to let you know. And it’s going to be embarrassing. And you’re going to hate it. But., when game 7 rolls around, NBA Finals, you will be prepared.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndGZU2BwAVY)
During the mourning of a lot of people, they went to the internet to share some of their favorite Kobe stories. His past teammates didn’t shy at all from this. One of my favorite ones came from Lou Williams. Lou Williams on Twitter tweeted, “We got blew out in Portland. He took everybody Kobe’s and said they couldn’t wear it cause we was soft.”
Another podcast that I listened to was CC Sabathia and Ryan Ruocco’s podcast, R2C2, where they interviewed Jay Williams. Both Jay Williams and CC Sabathia told stories of their interactions with the legend. CC shared the story about one of the first times he met Kobe. Kobe immediately just bombarded (in a good way) CC with questions. He asked him how hard he works, what he does between starts, etc. CC had to go through his whole routine with Kobe as if it was a test to see if CC was worthy of being around and with Kobe. Jay told a story about when he is was with the Bulls, they weren’t having a great season and he was trying to turn himself around. So, one day, when facing the Lakers, he went to the gym before the game to shoot around and practice. When he showed up, he saw that Kobe was in there working out, and going really hard. After about an hour of practicing Jay sat down to unlace his shoes, but Kobe kept going and going hard, for at least another 10-15 minutes. That day Kobe was unstoppable. Jay asked Kobe after the game why he works the way that he does. Kobe responded with, “Because I saw you come in the gym and I wanted you to know, no matter how hard you work and how long you work. I am going to out work you.” Then another time where Jay had an accident, Kobe’s first thing he said was “what are we going to do.” He didn’t coddle him like everyone else, he asked how he can get better and how he was going to get through this. They talked about how he didn’t stop, he was being the “Godfather of this generation”. How he was promoting the NBA and the WNBA. Jay talked about how he would talk to random people, he didn’t care who you were. He had an appetite for knowledge. If you had any knowledge for what he is doing and where he was going, he would ask and talk to you about it. He just wanted to be the best at what he did, no matter if it was on or off the court; be a player or being a father. Jay talked about the badges of honor that you get from the highs and lows. They are learning opportunities, they show the real, they show the adversaries that you got through. Life isn’t all about game winners, it is about the work and the effort you put into converting those game winners. Kobe asked questions, he wanted to figure out why things works, what other would do and why they would do it. CC talked about how he would have to condition himself to be in the right mind frame when he was going to talk to Kobe. Jay talked a story where Kobe in the middle of a game trashtalkingly coached him on how to run a play. Jay was running a “triangle” but he was still learning and unfamiliar with it. Kobe on the other team, knew the triangle (since the triangle was to benefit players like him and Jordan). During the game he told Jay that he was going to have to make a certain move since he got off him. Jay was confused and didn’t know if he should believe him, and then his coach seconds later yelled at him to do that same thing Kobe was telling him to do. Mentally Kobe was just different, he was so filled with knowledge.
This was the Mamba Mentality.
We need to have the same mentality when it comes to life and our walk with Christ. When I think of the Cross the first things that come to my mind is love and sacrifice. These are two attributes that both Jesus and Kobe encompassed on a daily basis. Kobe with basketball (always in the gym), learning (about other sports, always thinking of the outcome), life (what he did off the court, helped and inspired billions of people). Jesus loved and lived the life we inspire to have and strive to have. He loved everyone no matter what, he sacrificed his time and his life all for our love. They fought and never gave up even when the smallest and biggest things got in their way.
“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5)
We have to have this mindset. We have to take advantage of these sufferings, the highs and the lows. We need to know that they will produce perseverance. The perseverance to know what to do the next time. To be ready for what is next. Running a mile sucks, but after running it a certain amount of times you build your tolerance and you build you stamina. The same is with suffering and life. That perseverance is going to produce character. It is going to make you into the strong man or woman God’s created you to be. It is going to define you. That character is going to create hope. The hope and faith in God. It is going to show that God is working in you.
“We swore an oath to protect the Time Stone with our lives.” – Wong
I am going to educate you on the MCU for a second or two (a little closer to two), but don’t skip it because it is necessary for the full explanation and the full experience.
After the whole universe came to be, the four immensely powerful Cosmic Entities created the 6 Infinity Stones out of 6 singularities. The Time Stone represents the fragment of time. At the creation of the Mystic Arts, Agamotto created a containment device (the Eye) to hold the Time Stone. The usage of the Eye became forbidden; however, was studied. The masters of the Mystic Arts would swear an oath to protect the Time Stone. As saw in Avengers: Endgame, the Ancient One had the Time Stone in New York during the Battle of New York (The Avengers) to fend off the Chitauri. During his training at Kamar-Taj Dr. Strange started his studying of the Mystic Arts and the Time Stone. During his time there he learned how to manipulate time with an apple and read the Book of Cagliostro. He was rebuked by Wong and Karl Mordo, because he wasn’t “manipulating the space-time continuum, he was breaking it.” Then during the fight at the Hong Kong Sanctum and the Dark Dimension was assimilating Earth Dr. Strange used the Time Stone to reverse time. Afterward Dr. Strange flew into the Dark Dimension to talk to Dormammu and trapped themselves in a time loop (like Groundhog Day). This time loop forced Dormammu to submit to Dr. Strange’s wishes of withdrawing from Earth. At the start of Infinity War, Hulk landed onto Earth (into the New York Sanctum) to warn everyone about the coming of Thanos. Shortly after a couple of Thanos’s goons arrived at Earth to capture Dr. Strange and the Time Stone. Following them onto Maw’s ship was Spider-Man and Iron Man. On the ship Maw tried to exact the Stone from Dr. Strange, but Iron Man and Spider-Man defeated and killed Maw. They then proceeded on course of the ship to Titan where Thanos would meet them. This is where Dr. Strange used the Time Stone 14,000,605 different possible outcomes of their soon to be battle with Thanos. In all of these outcomes they would lose, except for one. During the fight with Thanos, Dr. Strange hid the Time Stone in the debris. Right as Thanos was about to kill Tony Stark, Dr. Strange surrendered the Time Stone to Thanos. Thanos then after obtaining the Time Stone teleported via Space Stone to Wakanda where he ripped the final stone needed, Mind Stone, out of Vision’s head; then we all know what happens next…SNAP (If you had the Infinity Gauntlet, what would happen when you snapped your fingers?)
The Time Stone controls the flow of time. It is among the most powerful artifacts in the entire Multiverse. Due to the power that the Time Stone holds it is virtually impossible to hold without a special container. When the Time Stone is contained in the capsule (Eye of Agamotto, Infinity Gauntlet) the Stone manifest’s a form of energy around the user’s arm and wrist. The manipulation of time occurs through circular, mandala-like energy in the user’s hand. Through this mandala they are able to physically control and redirect the flow of time. The Time Stone can be used individually to alter the timeline. The Stone could send objects forwards to a potential future state (Dr. Strange with the apple). Thanos was able to use the Time Stone to reverse the destruction of the Mind Stone and the death of Vision without altering and effecting Wanda. Both the Ancient One and Dr. Strange used the Time Stone to peek into the future to see the possible outcomes. Misuse of the Stone can lead to potential unstable openings and break in the space-time continuum, spatial paradoxes, time loops, and risk the complete existence of the user.
If you had the Infinity Gauntlet, what would happen when you snapped your fingers?
The Mamba Mentality is a strict and different mindset. It is the embodiment of endurance and perseverance. The Mamba Mentality doesn’t stop even when all the odds are stacked against you. Time is something that we need to take advantage for it is limited. We only got one life on this earth in order to be able to live an eternal life in Heaven with our Lord and Savior. Every day is a new battle. Every day is another day to get better. Every day is another day to learn. No matter what life throws at you embrace it and run towards it like Jesus would, with the Mamba Mentality. Do not stick to one specific group or set of people. We all have a story and we all can learn from one another. There is unlimited knowledge in this world and countless way to obtain it, go and soak it in. Jesus talked to people that were forbidden and shamed to talk to a Jewish man. Kobe talked to the average Joe. Let’s do this together, for we cannot do this alone.
Fight, love, and sacrifice. God will lift and guide. He will do all the hard work. Go at life with Christ with the Mamba Mentality.
If you had the Infinity Gauntlet, what would happen when you snapped your fingers?