February 5, 2018
I was able watch the second half of the Super Bowl after church Sunday night. The Packers were not in the game nor were my arch nemesis – the Minnesota Vikings (I am a Packer fan in MN as I grew up in WI watching the Pack with my Dad as a kid), so I had no emotional attachment for the game other than it would be a change of pace if the Eagles won.
It was probably some of the best Super Bowl playing I have ever seen and I only got to see the half of it. What a fun game to watch! It was evident both teams were well conditioned, coached and hungry as they battled for the prize of the Vince Lombardy Trophy (another plug for the Packers).
Tom Brady played a record setting game and still was not able to come out with the win. What a disappointment for him and the Patriots. Football can teach some very valuable life lessons such as: you can do your very best at trying to achieve your goals and still fall short. There are people’s bodies littered on the sides of mountains who never reached the coveted peak because of a sudden change of weather, or a fatal misstep, or the collapse of an ice bridge. There were several very close calls in the end zone that went in favor for the Eagles if called differently would have changed the outcome. Nevertheless, this too is part of the game.
Nick Foles played through the playoffs with an underdog rating. He became top-dog with the most valuable player award. He played an exceptionally flawless game. It probably does not rise to the occasion of David verses Goliath, but, Wow! Good job, Buddy! Another life lesson is: to achieve any goal in life, you have to aim high, refuse to listen to what other people tell you what you can’t do, and give everything you’ve got. Obviously, in this case for this one game, this worked for the Eagles.
You could not help but see the joy and rapture on the players’ faces as the coveted Vince Lombardy Trophy came through a sea of people and players reached out just to touch or even to kiss it. Personally, after about the sixth or seventh player kissed that trophy, all I could think of was “gross” and “slimy”. Nevertheless, they earned the right for their moment in the spotlight and for a day they are world champions of this one particular sport called football.
For me, the most excellent play of the whole game was when the Eagles’ head coach, Doug Pederson, on the podium in front of millions of people gave the credit for the win to his “Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Life is not a game. If we think about it, all we have, all we are and all we can accomplish is directly related to the gifts God has given each and every one of us. The whole purpose and duty of man is to glorify his Creator. Hearing a football coach give glory to God is what made the Super Bowl “Super” for me.
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (1Corinthians 10:31)
Most of us are not in the limelight. But we too can live like champions if we live out the gift of life to the glory of God and to the benefit of our fellow man. In our case, our head coach is Jesus Christ and we are His trophies of grace.
“12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14)
Let’s Live for Him,
Pastor John Schofield
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