T he Selective Deafness Team

By Dr. John Ed Mathison
Executive Director
John Ed Mathison Leadership Ministries

Russell Wilson is the quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks. Like his teammate Derrick Coleman, about whom I wrote last week, he practices Selective Deafness. He is only 5 feet 11 inches tall and a 3rd draft choice. Everybody told him that he couldn’t play in the NFL. He didn’t listen to the people who told him he couldn’t do it. He has a Super Bowl ring to show how “selectively deaf” he is.

His team is now in the playoffs pursuing another Super Bowl ring. One of his greatest challenges has come this year. Wilson became the target of criticism from anonymous insinuations that he wasn’t “black enough” when the Seahawks traded wide receiver Percy Harvin in October. Wilson was anonymously blamed for the turmoil that followed that trade, and the teams’ 6-4 start this year. Selective Deafness –Wilson didn’t listen to all of those insinuations. He shrugged off the comments and said, “It didn’t bother me. I don’t give nonsense any time. I love my teammates, love this organization. I’m blessed to be a Seattle Seahawk.”

Wilson has become good friends with Derek Jeter, the legendary New York shortstop. He gives Jeter credit for helping him to “block out negative noise” that would deter him from reaching his goals. Jeter has even invited Wilson to be a contributor on his website. Selective Deafness – even a reigning Super Bowl winner is going to receive a lot of naysayer comments.

Practice Selective Deafness. Like Russell – “Don’t give nonsense any time.”Montgomery has a great historical addition. A replica of the Wright brothers’ first airplane now sits in full view as people come into the Montgomery area on Interstate 65.

The Wright brothers had a dream to fly. Everybody told them they were crazy. They told them that it was impossible. The Wright brothers, whose father was a minister, knew how to practice Selective Deafness. They constructed the first “airplane” at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

I was speaking in that area recently and visited the Methodist Church at Kitty Hawk. They told me that some of the women of the church sewed the cloth on the wings that the Wright brothers used on that first flight. They had enough cloth left over that they were able to make dresses for some little girls to wear to Sunday school at the Methodist Church.

What folks said couldn’t be done was done by Orville and Wilbur Wright. After that initial success in Kitty Hawk, the Wright brothers were very smart and moved to Montgomery to continue their pursuits at what we know today as Maxwell Field. Every time you are on I-65 and see that Wright brothers’ replica airplane, just think how important it is to practice Selective Deafness.

I will be going to India twice this year to train pastors in the God-sized vision to start 5 million churches and win 1 billion people to Christ by 2020. I am glad the Wright brothers practiced Selective Deafness because I plan to go on an airplane to India. It would be a long way by boat!

I am glad Gideon didn’t listen when he went to battle and people told him he had no chance. He practiced selective deafness to their comments. He was grossly outnumbered by the enemy, except he was following God’s plan. Guess who won! (Joshua 7)

Russell, Derrick, Derek, Wilbur, Orville, Gideon – Join their Selective Deafness Team!!!

John Ed’s blog posts appear each Thursday in For His Glory.

Contact: JAM Executive Suite 4,4131 Carmichael Road, Montgomery, AL 36106 Phone: 334-270-2149 Email:info@johnedmathison.org