Football is a team sport full of individuals - Just like life

The game was coming to an end and with his team driving, the coach called a timeout with 10 seconds left to go in the game.  As the players gathered around the coach to hear the play, it was the most focused I had seen the players all night.   They knew this would be the last play of the game. They were a unified front; all determined to get the ball in the end zone.  As the ball was snapped, I actually felt myself get a little bit nervous.  Under a little pressure the quarterback made what was probably his best throw of the night. The receiver not only caught the ball but ran into the end zone as the clock showed all zeros.  The crowd behind me erupted into cheers which was probably the loudest I had heard all year.  Players were literally jumping up and down with joy. 

No, this touchdown was not the Disney moment you had probably imagined. This touchdown was not a game winning touchdown to win a championship.  In fact, the touchdown turned a fifty-point loss into a forty-four-point loss.  This was not just the last play of the game, for one young man this was the last play of his football career.  A senior, although he played a lot in his career, unfortunately had never been able to score a touchdown until the last play of this game.  I was fortunate enough to be standing on the sideline when a member of the staff at the school let me know what was going on.  There main goal for the end of the game was to get that young man into the end zone. Had he not told me, I may have missed a valuable lesson. 

The fans, coaching staff and team went crazy as the young man scored his first and only touchdown.  I’m sure the home crowd of the winning team was left wondering why all the excitement for what they thought was probably a “meaningless” touchdown and that comes with a lesson.  Romans Chapter 2 verse 4 tells us to not look on our own interests but for us look to the interests of others.  I’m sure his teammates were tired, hurting and ready for a long season to be over with.  Some of them also probably playing in their last games.  However, they pushed all that aside and focused on one individual. They put his interests above their own. 

We often overlook what we consider “meaningless” touchdowns of others.  One week sober for some of us is not a big deal, but for others it is a lifetime.   Some of you may never have watched porn a day in your lives while others are working to overcome an addiction a day at a time.  We may hear “I Love you” countless times from our friends and families without thinking that when we say it, it could be the only time someone gets to hear it. 

Friday night I saw glimpse of how we should act. Putting others above ourselves.   Now don’t get me wrong, I saw a lot of things that are wrong in the world in the game the other night, but I saw some good things as well.  Football will always be a team sport, but it is also a sport made up of individuals.  Just like life.

Cheer for each other and celebrate even what you consider the “small” victories.