In the past few days, the world has been shocked by the sudden death of NBA star basketball player Kobe Bryant. His career achievements, especially his ever-famous numbers 8 and 24 jerseys, are nothing short of impressive. He won 5 NBA titles, was named NBA finals MVP twice, and was an 18-time all-star player. His basketball career also yielded impressive numbers: 33643 points, 7047 rebounds, and 6304 assists, as he played for the Los Angeles Lakers for 20 years! Kobe’s death at 41 is definitely unexpected. The death of his daughter, who also died in the helicopter accident, is so tragic. 

Athletes from around the world have sought to honor Bryant’s memory in the past few days. His death is a reminder to all of how fragile life can be. He was beloved by his fans, friends, and family. It is hard to think of the NBA without mentioning Kobe Bryant and the legacy he left behind for the game of basketball until his retirement in 2016. I believe Kobe’s life and death can serve as a time of reflection for those us still blessed to be alive.  

Here are 24 insights and 8 action steps from the legendary NBA LA Lakers’ Kobe Bryant:

1. Work hard to accomplish your dreams – Bryant was known for his work ethic. He trained hard to accomplish his goals. Dreams come true over extended periods of time as we work hard to overcome and become better at whatever we do. As Christians, we should keep in mind that we must always work hard not only to accomplish our goals, but to glorify God in all we do (Colossians 3:23-24)
2. Spend time with your family – Kobe’s family was one of the most famous NBA families of all time. His family was in the spotlight mainly because he was in the spotlight and they just followed along. He was involved in their lives and the public was able to witness it. God created the family (Genesis 3), and we should value our loved ones! In the Player’s Tribune, Kobe wrote a letter to his younger self, he said, “You need to figure out a way to invest in the future of your family and friends. This sounds simple, and you may think it’s a no-brainer, but take some time to think on it further. I said INVEST. I did not say GIVE.”
3. Value your friendships – Kobe was most famously befriended to another NBA star, Shaquille O’Neal. Kobe would not be who he was without Shack’s friendship. Together they accomplished much. They valued each other and added value to one another. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”
4. Fame comes with a price – Kobe’s life outside the court was at times tumultuous. In 2003, he was accused of sexual assault. This incident marred his personal life and career. He had let his guard down. His reputation was tarnished, more than the average person, because of his public fame. Proverbs 22:1 says, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.” He lost major contracts and a lot of money during those years of turmoil.  
5. Criticism will either make you grow or make you weak – Kobe’s life was heavily scrutinized by the media. Throughout his career, sports commentators analyzed his every move. However, Kobe kept getting better at the game of basketball. He didn’t let it affect his performance on the court. 
6. You win sometimes and you lose sometimes – Kobe won many titles, but he also lost many games. That’s the natural flow of any team and athlete. They key is to keep moving forward even when you lose. In the words of Rocky Balboa to his son, “You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!”
7. When you have setbacks, you can just choose to quit or fight to get back in the game – Kobe had suffered from several injuries, but his most significant one happened on April 12, 2013 as he suffered an Achilles tendon tear. It took him 8 months to recover. But he fought his way back from injury and went right back to the court. 
8. Achievement does not happen overnight – Kobe is a prime example that achievement does not happen overnight, it takes diligence. If you played on his team, you had no choice but to become a better play. He was never okay with mediocrity!
9. You need to surround yourself with people that will build you up! – Kobe surrounded himself with the best. Among his mentors were the great Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Bill Russell. We are a “collection” of the investment others make in our lives.
10. Success in life does not happen in a vacuum, it takes a team to win games – The Bible describes the church as a body (1 Corinthians 12). A body has members that support one another, each member is meant to build up the body (Ephesians 4:1-13). 
11. We shouldn’t be afraid of making mistakes and trying even if it looks silly – In the 97’ Playoffs young Kobe shot 4 air balls in 5 minutes as the Lakers tried to take on the Jazz. He looked silly, but he was not afraid of trying. As we all know, he went on to become one of the greatest basketball players of all time, because he was not afraid of making mistakes. As Michael Jordan once said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” And as Kobe said once, “We all have self-doubt. You don’t deny it, but you also don’t capitulate to it. You embrace it.”
12. Find something you love doing and inspire others to do it too – Kobe said in an interview once, “The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do.”
13. Leaving a legacy is important – today many will remember Kobe for his legacy to the game of basketball. Will people remember your legacy? The Lord knows the days of the upright and blameless, and their heritage will abide forever. (Psalm 37:18)
14. Life is short and fragile – 1 Peter 1:24 – all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass.
15. We are not guaranteed tomorrow – James 4:13–14 – “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.” We do not hold the keys to life or time. Therefore, we must remain alert, diligent, and somber.
16. Life is but a vapor – James also goes on to state that life is but a vapor. He says, “For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” Again, the Lord holds the key to life, not us. We are here one day, and then gone the next. 
17. Mourning awaits us at any time – I can only imagine the pain Kobe’s wife and other 3 daughters feel at the moment. And the fact of the matter is that we are all subject to it. The good news? God is ready and able to comfort us. Psalm 147: 3 says, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” 
18. Time is fleeting – The Psalmist reminds us – “LORD, what is man, that You regard him, the son of man that You think of him? Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.” If do not make most of our time, we will never be able to leave a significant legacy in the lives of others.  
19. We may never be in the world’s spotlight, but we do not have to be – Kobe’s death has generated a lot of media attention. This week, on Monday, all news outlets were talking about his death. The other people who died in the accident, with the exception of his daughter, have barely been talked about. Why? Because he was more often in the spotlight than the vast majority of us. He was famous. But so are we … if you are a believer you are already as famous as you can be! You are a child of the God most high. Therefore, we do not need to be in the world’s spotlight. In Christ, we are already as famous as we can be! 
20. It is better to make an eternal impact than an earthly impact – Kobe certainly made an impact during his lifetime on earth. But was his impact eternal in nature? No. However, as Christ followers we have the opportunity to impact lives for eternity. 
21. Death is not the end – Death had no hold on those who love Jesus, repent of their sin, and trust him to forgive their sin. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” I have no idea if Kobe believed in Jesus. However, one thing is for sure, those who do receive everlasting life in the presence of God. 
22. We should not idolize folks because of their achievement, but rather honor them for their legacy – Many use “idolatrous” jargon when speaking about Kobe. It is best to honor Kobe for his legacy rather than idolize him because of his achievements. Yes, he was one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Yes, his name not easily forgotten. Yes, his skills and career were impressive. Yet, like any of us he was subject to death. What’s left? His legacy. And that is what should be emphasized. 
23. Death sheds light on grief … but there is hope for our grief –  Death has a way of reminding us that we are but a few moments away from grieving the loss of someone we care about. We try to avoid grief at all times, not realizing it is part of life. The hope we have is that we can always go to the God of all comfort for strength (2 Corinthians 2:3). We can approach God like the Psalmist once did, “Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also.” 
24. If you live life with no mission, will you die with no purpose – What was Kobe’s life mission? What should have been his mission? Some may say his life’s mission was to play basketball. Some may say his life’s mission was to become a basketball legend. Some may say his life’s mission boiled down to inspiring other toward greatness. But you see, his life’s mission should be the same as ours. As the Westminster Catechism states, “The chief end of all men is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” It is when we realize our life’s mission is to glorify God that we truly find our purpose!

8 action steps to honor Mamba’s life and death:

1. Turn to faith in Jesus and surrender your heart to him
2. Pray for Kobe’s family and all the other families directly affected by this tragedy
3. Hug your loved ones tight today
4. Spend time today with those whom you love – especially your loved ones
5. Surround yourself with people that greater, wiser, and better than you
6. Don’t settle for mediocrity in your personal and professional life 
7. Identify the one thing you are good at, then try to find ways to do it better 
8. Create a list of things you can do starting today to live a life on mission for God

Written by Daniel Messina