Underdogs
I guess I would call myself an athlete. That is, in the sense that I play sports. However, there are two things that separate me from your average athlete. First, I am simply not flexible. I can't even touch my toes. One New Years, my resolution was to stretch every day to improve my flexibility, but a month later, there I was, still 6 inches away from touching my toes, no closer than I'd been the day I started. I think there may be something wrong with me!
And secondly, I am not hard-core competitive. I mean, don't get me wrong, it is fun to win. I definitely wouldn't mind a first place trophy. But it takes me maybe 5 minutes - or, when I really get whooped, an ice-cream cone - to completely forget about it.
My basketball team played in a tournament this past weekend, and not to many people's surprise, we lost every game...by a lot. Our school is small-really small-and brand new, so we are starting from the ground and working up. I must admit, I do get frustrated sometimes with hardly ever coming within 20 points of the other team, but there is something deep inside me that secretly loves being the Underdog. There is just something so exhilarating about being the one that nobody expects to win. The one who can either fall to meet people's expectations, or leap beyond those expectations and captivate them.
Hard work and practice will get you far. In A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Mark Twain wrote, "Training-training is everything; training is all there is to a person. We speak of nature; it is folly; there is no such thing as nature; what we call by that misleading name is merely heredity and training." That quote sure made me think hard. When it comes to sports, I think that is mostly true. Yes, it may come easier to some people, but in the long run it is the people who are willing to put in the time and effort who will go far.
In life, though, I am glad that my training isn't all that there is to me, because I know that I can never be good enough. Thank the LORD that He does not set me down on this earth and say "Ready, set, go; be a good person; do your best; hopefully that will be good enough." No matter how much training I do, I can never be perfect. I can't win at Life, no matter how much I try, no matter how hard I push. I just can't.
I am an underdog. Nobody expects me to win-I am too young, I am too fat, I am too dumb, I am too weak; I am always too something, or not enough of something. And they're right: I can't win. But here's where it gets good: Jesus has already won. He has already won and as I cross the finish line, huffing and puffing in last place, He offers to pin His first place ribbon onto my shirt. All I have to do is give Him everything I've got, and He takes care of the rest. He will do for me what I cannot do for myself.
At some point, you're going to be the underdog. At some point, everyone is going to give up on you, except One. Maybe being the underdog is a good thing, because it makes you realize your need for Christ, the One who will be your Biggest Fan, and will win the race for you if you will only give Him everything.
And secondly, I am not hard-core competitive. I mean, don't get me wrong, it is fun to win. I definitely wouldn't mind a first place trophy. But it takes me maybe 5 minutes - or, when I really get whooped, an ice-cream cone - to completely forget about it.
My basketball team played in a tournament this past weekend, and not to many people's surprise, we lost every game...by a lot. Our school is small-really small-and brand new, so we are starting from the ground and working up. I must admit, I do get frustrated sometimes with hardly ever coming within 20 points of the other team, but there is something deep inside me that secretly loves being the Underdog. There is just something so exhilarating about being the one that nobody expects to win. The one who can either fall to meet people's expectations, or leap beyond those expectations and captivate them.
Hard work and practice will get you far. In A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Mark Twain wrote, "Training-training is everything; training is all there is to a person. We speak of nature; it is folly; there is no such thing as nature; what we call by that misleading name is merely heredity and training." That quote sure made me think hard. When it comes to sports, I think that is mostly true. Yes, it may come easier to some people, but in the long run it is the people who are willing to put in the time and effort who will go far.
In life, though, I am glad that my training isn't all that there is to me, because I know that I can never be good enough. Thank the LORD that He does not set me down on this earth and say "Ready, set, go; be a good person; do your best; hopefully that will be good enough." No matter how much training I do, I can never be perfect. I can't win at Life, no matter how much I try, no matter how hard I push. I just can't.
I am an underdog. Nobody expects me to win-I am too young, I am too fat, I am too dumb, I am too weak; I am always too something, or not enough of something. And they're right: I can't win. But here's where it gets good: Jesus has already won. He has already won and as I cross the finish line, huffing and puffing in last place, He offers to pin His first place ribbon onto my shirt. All I have to do is give Him everything I've got, and He takes care of the rest. He will do for me what I cannot do for myself.
At some point, you're going to be the underdog. At some point, everyone is going to give up on you, except One. Maybe being the underdog is a good thing, because it makes you realize your need for Christ, the One who will be your Biggest Fan, and will win the race for you if you will only give Him everything.
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| My awesome basketball team! |
