A recent sports story recounted how the New Zealand Rugby League captain Benji Marshall has contracted to remain with the Wests Tigers for a further six years as a sign of loyalty for caring for him over his spate of injuries.
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/who-said-loyalty-was-dead-20100224-p3lg.html
The question is whether this is a rare expression of loyalty in professional sport, or is this a sign of changing times where money might not be so readily available in the ever demanding needs of sporting victory.
Famous Australian cricket wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist relocated from New South Wales to Western Australia so as to get a first class game and illustrate his wares to national selectors. This is not uncommon in cricket circles.
Now we hear that Geelong AFL superstar Gary Ablett junior is being touted for the new Gold Coast AFL team. Will he go, won't he go!! Will this Geelong champion make such a move? Does loyalty come into it ?
Hui Tong the highly internationally acclaimed Australian Diving coach was with the Canadian team for 10 years overseeing that country's Diving fortunes at both the 1996 Atlanta and the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
When asked on the Australian Missionary News IPTV interview did Canada weep when he took the Australian job in 2001, his response was that he was free to choose and this was well accepted in international diving.
Is loyalty a personal matter depending on the circumstances or is there raw greed involved in getting the highest payout possible? How do these two 'end of poles' translate into personal conscience and everyday experiences.
First, this is not exclusive to sport? It occurs regularly in the corporate and business world. Recently I heard of a bank manager, who had been with one bank for twenty years, relocated across the street (head hunted) to another bank with considerably greater personal financial benefits.
Neither is it uncommon in the non-conformist church world that ministers respond to 'Calls' from one denominational church to a totally different denominational congregation so as to serve the Lord as he believed called.
It obviously comes down to a whole raft to circumstances and situations. The best guide is seeking the Holy Spirit in one's conscience that personal integrity is retained in any such move.