Who Invented Basketball?

As Christians we recognize the importance of people with diverse backgrounds coming together in unity for Jesus. People with different skill sets working together to accomplish the mission of the Church. The apostle Paul speaks of this in 1Corinthians 12:12-26, For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

In fact, it seems that God even delights in allowing people to work with Him this way. Notice how all the great building projects in the Old Testament required a variety of people with different abilities and skills to accomplish the job. These were craftsmen, architects & seamstress as well as people who donated personal goods. This biblical principle is also prevalent in our society. However, depending on your perspective it can be viewed as divisive or unifying. Here’s some examples… A man from Canada named James Naismith invented the game of Basketball. However, men with a different heritage than Naismith  have had the greatest impact on making it the exciting game that it is today. Leo Fender invented the Stratocaster Guitar. Jimi Hendrix uses the Stratocaster to take rock music to a new level. A Frenchman named Louis Le Prince invented moving pictures. Spike Lee revolutionized the movie industry. German engineers from companies like Sennheiser, Neumann & AKG create microphones used by artist from all over the world for decades. I can only guess but would assume that most of the great black inventors take joy in knowing that people from all walks of life benefit from their creations. Inventors like Garrett Morgan who invented the Traffic Light & Gas Mask. Lonnie Johnson who invented the Super Soaker or Katherine Johnson who developed a programmable computer language for NASA.
Unfortunately, there have been inventors, artists and creators who have not received proper credit or payment for their work. This is not pleasing in the eyes of God who says ‘Diverse weights and diverse measures, They both alike, an abomination to the Lord. Proverbs 20:10

My desire is that people will see this issue as something that unifies our society and not an issue that creates division. We all need each other. As Christians let us always look for ways to bring people to Jesus where true unity is found for every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
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Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.” Revelation 5:8-10