Brandon Davies: Lost of BYU Player Because of Honor Code

So you may have heard. Best rebounder and center forward of BYU basketball team was let off the team for not following the Honor Code. Before he left, BYU had only lost two games and was seated #3 in the country. Immediately after Davies left the team, they lost their game that very night, lagging behind by 18 points. They are still lead by Jimmy Fredette (best player in college ball right now), but many say it will cost BYU's first chance they had of being in the final four in history. But I think this situation can teach us many things.

1. Worldly fame lasts a short time, but your integrity lasts eternity.

I'm sure Brandon may feel some sadness about not being on his winning team anymore, but I'm sure for a fact that he feels a whole lot better for coming forward (no pun intended). Right now it seems devastating for all of us BYU fans, but in reality, what will anyone remember in ten years? I doubt if BYU even made it to the final four, no one would think about it much at all in a few years even a year.

2. No one shuns you when you sin, it's actually you that doesn't forgive yourself.

What I admire about this situation is that when it would be easy for Brandon's teammates to be mad at him, they AREN'T. Fredette said this:

“He told us everything. He told us he was sorry and that he let us down. We just held our heads high and told him it was OK, that it is life, and you make mistakes, and you just got to play through it," Fredette said after Wednesday's loss.

The one thing I CANNOT stand is people who won't forgive themselves and move on. They know people know their sins and they let it hold them back. Who cares if people know about it or not, don't let that keep you from being who you know you should be and deep down want to be--a good person, a righteous person.

3. Believe it or not, your actions do influence others lives.

People who carelessly sin often say, "It's my life, I can make my own decisions--it's my life." They indirectly say that what I do doesn't affect other people. When it actually does alter the lives of everyone around you and those that come after you (your children). You are the link of generations that came before you and the generations that come after you. Your actions directly influence the outcome of your children lives, your grandchildren, your great grandchildren's lives. Your actions directly influence your immediately family and friends. I wish Davies actions were only applicable to him, but his actions influences his team, his school, his family. We wish it wasn't that way, but our actions do CHANGE other people's lives. It causes a domino effect. No man is an island.

Overall, everyone makes mistakes. What matters is how we handle them. In God's eyes there is no allowance for sin, but He has given us Jesus Christ so that we can make it right again and so that one day we can stand before His feet and say that we are clean and worthy to be in His presence.

The last great player in BYU history said this about the BYU Honor Code:

"I think it's a great code of conduct," said Ainge, whose children have also attended BYU. "It teaches discipline, teaches kids to not live in a world of instant gratification. It's a different culture — and I love that culture."

I do too!