He was out talented. He was the youngest player on the court by three years to his closest competitor at six playing against nine year olds, eleven year olds, one teenager and an adult. He was not as tall, not as fast, he could not jump as high, but that did not deter him from trying.
When we walked on the court he was determined to play with the big boys. He was chosen for a team and the fun began. The objective was simple; a pick up game of playground basketball with the winner being the first one to fifty counting every basket as one point. There was passion, competiveness, sweat, a little blood, and all out effort. It was a great afternoon of fun.
The underdog as I shall call him ran, jumped, played aggressive defense and gave it his all. Still the older and faster players often stole the ball while he was dribbling and intercepted his passes. He was at times snubbed by the older players who would not pass him the ball and not let him pass the ball on inbounds plays but, this did not discourage the underdog who continued to give his very best effort.
It was a tight game. The lead changed several times and the intensity seemed to grow with the exchange of every basket. The underdog kept calling for the ball and doing everything in his power to elude his older and much faster defender. It was around the mid-point of the game when it finally happened. The underdog drove past his man to the basket and heaved a shot that banked off the backboard and went through the rim. Everybody was excited (even the opposing team.) When all was said and done the underdog scored three buckets against much older kids and despite a weary body.
I have smiled about this as I watched that whole scene unfold. I was the adult and those other players were my boys and some of their friends. The underdog who was a friend of Turner’s who came to spend the night and who was not fearful to mix it up with the big boys. Even though our team lost the game by two points in the end, the underdog’s effort was inspiring.
I wish more Christians had the underdog’s attitude. Many people make excuses why they cannot be of more use to God. They are not educated enough, do not know the Bible well enough, are not talented enough, connected enough, not good with children or teenagers, not a leader, and the list could go on and on.
Most people feel like they are pretty ordinary. Few people in life are really extraordinary. There is only one Lebron James, one Tiger Woods, one Bill Gates, and one Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy. There was only one Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, and D.L. Moody. You might be surprised how many pretty ordinary people have been used by God to do extraordinary things.
Jesus hand picked a bunch of ordinary guys to revolutionize the world in the disciples. If you consider yourself out matched, outwitted, out charmed, and out resourced by all the other people in the world you might just be the person God is looking for. You just might the underdog who makes a huge difference for God in this world.
“For consider your calling brethren that there was not many wise, not many noble, but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong., and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.” [I Cor 1:26-29]
God is looking for underdogs, ordinary, average, obscure folks who live in the shadows to do great and extraordinary things for him. When God needed a mighty evangelist in the nineteenth century he chose an uneducated backwoods boy turned shoe salesman to shake two continents in D.L. Moody. When God needed an evangelist for the twentieth century he chose a farm boy from North Carolina to take up the torch known as Billy Graham. When God needed someone who would make wholesome movies which would point people to Jesus Christ he chosen a couple of Georgia brothers named Kendrick.
The Bible is laced with stories about how God chose and used underdogs to do extraordinary things for Him. It is not about your ability but rather your availability. There is some task in this world you were born to do. The odds might be stacked against you like they were for our six year underdog in our basketball game but that shouldn’t stop you. Press on and give God your all and then just see what happens. We all love it when the underdog wins and with God on your team, victory is not out the realm of possibility. Of course you have to have the courage to get in the game in the first place. Thank you for a six year old underdog who is teaching the rest of us a lesson we need to hear. Do not shy away from big challenges because is on your team.
When we walked on the court he was determined to play with the big boys. He was chosen for a team and the fun began. The objective was simple; a pick up game of playground basketball with the winner being the first one to fifty counting every basket as one point. There was passion, competiveness, sweat, a little blood, and all out effort. It was a great afternoon of fun.
The underdog as I shall call him ran, jumped, played aggressive defense and gave it his all. Still the older and faster players often stole the ball while he was dribbling and intercepted his passes. He was at times snubbed by the older players who would not pass him the ball and not let him pass the ball on inbounds plays but, this did not discourage the underdog who continued to give his very best effort.
It was a tight game. The lead changed several times and the intensity seemed to grow with the exchange of every basket. The underdog kept calling for the ball and doing everything in his power to elude his older and much faster defender. It was around the mid-point of the game when it finally happened. The underdog drove past his man to the basket and heaved a shot that banked off the backboard and went through the rim. Everybody was excited (even the opposing team.) When all was said and done the underdog scored three buckets against much older kids and despite a weary body.
I have smiled about this as I watched that whole scene unfold. I was the adult and those other players were my boys and some of their friends. The underdog who was a friend of Turner’s who came to spend the night and who was not fearful to mix it up with the big boys. Even though our team lost the game by two points in the end, the underdog’s effort was inspiring.
I wish more Christians had the underdog’s attitude. Many people make excuses why they cannot be of more use to God. They are not educated enough, do not know the Bible well enough, are not talented enough, connected enough, not good with children or teenagers, not a leader, and the list could go on and on.
Most people feel like they are pretty ordinary. Few people in life are really extraordinary. There is only one Lebron James, one Tiger Woods, one Bill Gates, and one Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy. There was only one Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, and D.L. Moody. You might be surprised how many pretty ordinary people have been used by God to do extraordinary things.
Jesus hand picked a bunch of ordinary guys to revolutionize the world in the disciples. If you consider yourself out matched, outwitted, out charmed, and out resourced by all the other people in the world you might just be the person God is looking for. You just might the underdog who makes a huge difference for God in this world.
“For consider your calling brethren that there was not many wise, not many noble, but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong., and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.” [I Cor 1:26-29]
God is looking for underdogs, ordinary, average, obscure folks who live in the shadows to do great and extraordinary things for him. When God needed a mighty evangelist in the nineteenth century he chose an uneducated backwoods boy turned shoe salesman to shake two continents in D.L. Moody. When God needed an evangelist for the twentieth century he chose a farm boy from North Carolina to take up the torch known as Billy Graham. When God needed someone who would make wholesome movies which would point people to Jesus Christ he chosen a couple of Georgia brothers named Kendrick.
The Bible is laced with stories about how God chose and used underdogs to do extraordinary things for Him. It is not about your ability but rather your availability. There is some task in this world you were born to do. The odds might be stacked against you like they were for our six year underdog in our basketball game but that shouldn’t stop you. Press on and give God your all and then just see what happens. We all love it when the underdog wins and with God on your team, victory is not out the realm of possibility. Of course you have to have the courage to get in the game in the first place. Thank you for a six year old underdog who is teaching the rest of us a lesson we need to hear. Do not shy away from big challenges because is on your team.
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