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Like most of you, I grew up playing sandlot football on Saturday or Sunday afternoons. In my neighborhood games, we would regularly change the quarterback. This made for some interesting play calling, but very little success. Quite often the quarterback would say, “everyone go deep,” or “let’s just throw short passes and get first downs.” As we matured and began playing organized football, we understood the importance of a playbook.
I don’t usually listen to the radio in the car while I’m driving through the suburbs of Chicago. Typically I try to spend my time praying for FCA needs, Huddle Coaches, student-athletes and other family concerns. But one day, I decided to tune in for some music, and I was so glad I did. I heard a song that pierced my heart in a powerful way. If you listen to Christian radio, you’ve probably heard it. It’s the song by Matthew West called “The Motions.” The chorus goes like this:
Carly was a tenacious defender, but couldn’t shoot well. One thing I loved about Carly was if the basketball was available, she would get it. Because most of her shots didn’t go in, she learned what most players don’t: stop pouting and go get the ball! Carly was queen of the court in our 11-man break drill. In it, whoever got the rebound continued playing in the drill. Carly stayed in one day for 11 trips up and down the floor. She got 11 straight rebounds. Not bad for only being 5’6”.
My dad loved to engage God daily. He was a passionate man who loved to challenge people to have a daily quiet time. Even though he passed away last year after a long fight with leukemia, his passion impacted thousands. He was the kind of guy who, if he met you for the first time and had just one minute with you to communicate one thing, he would address your personal quiet time. It was a passion that overflowed from him because it was such an essential part of his life.
Growing up in Buffalo, New York, hockey was my sport. I started skating pretty early in life, and it quickly became my dream to play in college and then in the NHL. As seasons went by, I scored more goals and had more assists, and I started getting recognized for my ability to play the game I loved. In high school, I played on multiple teams, winning two national championships and a gold medal at the Empire State games. My senior year, I captained my team to a perfect 40-win season, which resulted in the National Junior B Championship.
As I look back on those years, I find myself asking, “Was I the leader that my teammates and coaches deserved? Was I following the example that Jesus Christ had provided for me when He was leading His team of disciples here on earth?
Eric was a finely tuned football player who went to battle for his team every Friday night. He was ready to do what his coach asked him to do for the sake of his team. Then came the big game against their conference rivals. The quarterback on the other team was having a great season. The coach pulled Eric aside and told him that when he had the chance, he must take the QB out of the game, however he needed to do it. Eric, an FCA member and believer in Christ, had a decision to make.
Ready. What does it take to be ready for your season to start? It takes physical training—a lot of it. But it also takes an extensive amount of mental training. What will you do when you step up to the line or into the box? The mental part seems trivial sometimes because we mostly like to trust what we can see and feel, which is the physical part of the game. But when it comes down to the wire and the game is on the line, it’s the battle 6 inches between our ears that either says, “I’m done; I can’t,”, or “I’m strong enough. Bring it on.”
Last weekend I attended a three-day coaching clinic. It's always exciting, rejuvenating, and enlightening to listen to accomplished coaches explain their football "x's and o's." I always leave with more knowledge than when I arrived.
The day after the clinic I heard a sermon about bearing fruit and how the Lord expects us to grow spiritually. We all have to age physically, but growth and spiritual maturity are optional. In my life, I see such parallels between coaching and our spiritual walk, and between this clinic and the sermon.
In sports we put our bodies through the wringer. We study game film, review game plans, and tax ourselves mentally. All of it is done so that on game day, we are prepared to win. To achieve victory, we battle our way over virtual mountains, following our dreams—to get to the pot of gold.
Do we follow the same routine in our faith? We rigidly “train” by reading our Bibles, praying, witnessing, and attending church. We compete in “games” when we face setbacks, difficulties, and temptations. And we often do it with a militant attitude of struggling to get to the final pot of gold—heaven.
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