Football (and Life) Requires Discipline

My favorite football story is told by James Dobson. In the 1930’s, Dr. Dobson’s mother attended a high school in Oklahoma that fielded a terrible Football Team. The small town witnessed their team lose almost every game, including the contests with their arch rivals. Understandably, school spirit was low.

A FREE CAR!

Following another demoralizing loss, a wealthy oil-man asked to speak to the team. In the locker room, he reminded the boys that their next game was against their hated rivals. Dramatically, the oil producer gave an incredible challenge. If they won, he promised each member of the team and their coaches a brand new car.

FOOTBALL FEVER

The team went crazy. Players reported to practice earlier and stayed later. The intensity was seen in the exercise drills. The days before the game, the entire school and town was electrified by the anticipation of a victory.

Finally, on game night the stands were packed and the football players gathered in the locker room. The coach barked a pep-talk that had the players almost jumping out of their skins. Next, the team left the locker room and gathered on the sideline. Before taking the field, the team put their hands together and shouted “Rah!” Then, they ran onto the field and were defeated, 38 to 0.

EMOTION VS. DISCIPLINE

Dobson wrote, “The team's exuberance did not translate into a single point on the scoreboard. Seven days of hoorah and whoop-de-do simply couldn't compensate for the players' lack of discipline and conditioning and practice and study and coaching and drill and experience and character.”

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE

In II Peter 1:5-7, the Bible says, “…giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.” Emotional experiences cannot replace spiritual growth that results from a daily walk with God. Daily discipline is required to nurture a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

What Do You See?

When you drive through your community, what do you see?

During college, I traveled with the William Carey College Chorale to New York City. On the first Sunday Morning of 1987, our choir performed at a Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn. This was a unique experience, because every few minutes a subway would pass under the church and rattle the entire facility. While I don’t remember a lot about the architecture of the church sanctuary, I do remember what was painted on the walls.

OUTSIDE THE WALLS

A mural covered all of the church walls. The paintings consisted of people you would see in the community. So, as you sat in the pews, when you looked to the sides, it was as if you were looking through the walls and into the city. You would see many buildings, cars and trucks. What impressed me most were the people represented in the mural. Painted on the wall were children playing in the street, expectant mothers, policeman, and fireman. However, the artist also painted pictures of homeless persons, prostitutes, drug dealers, and gang members. As worshippers sat in the pews, the mural reminded them of the needs outside the walls of the church.

MOVED WITH COMPASSION

In Matthew 9:35-38, we read that Jesus went to towns and villages teaching in their meeting places and preaching the good news about God's kingdom. As Jesus healed many people, he saw the crowds, and the scripture says he was “moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.” Jesus felt sorry for the hurting people, because they were confused and helpless. A.T. Roberson states this is a picture of sheep “torn and mangled by wild beasts.”

LIFE HURTS

Whenever we gather to worship, we must remember there are hurting people in each seat. There are hurting people within the shadow of our steeples and buildings. What do you see? May we all be moved with compassion as we travel through our communities, because there is hope in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.