1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
The trials we face can either derail us, discourage us, or strengthen us in our walk with God. We know that God uses tribulation to help us grow, but if we reject His instruction and do not rely on His strength, we will miss what He has in store for us and our lives can drift off course. So, we can rejoice in our trials, recognizing that God has a desired outcome, so that we might be conformed more to the image of Jesus. He is our source of strength, and He will empower us and lead us to victory.
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The apostle Paul used a sports analogy in 1st Corinthians 9 to illustrate the importance of pressing on to victory:
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.
27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
There are some amazing stories that are circulating around the National Championship game between Alabama and Clemson tonight - Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney facing his alma mater, Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry vs. Deshaun Watson, who came in third. Good ol' Southern football played 2000 miles away in the desert.
I want to concentrate on two individuals who will be very involved in tonight's activities. Two men who have overcome a great deal of adversity stemming from an unstable family foundation, but who rose above their background, refused to regard themselves as victims, refused to quit.
One of them was the son of teenage parents. According to an ESPN.com story, he lived with his grandmother, who instilled old-school values in her home off a dirt road near the local high school. He says, "She's taught me a lot and she's still teaching me," adding, "Just always keep my head on straight, stay humble and keep God first."
The story points out that he had seen the consequences of not doing so. His father has had numerous run-ins with the law, including several arrests for possession of marijuana and cocaine. When he was in eighth grade, this Crimson Tide star had to find a better situation and moved in with an aunt. Two years later, he moved again, this time with a coach and his wife.
This young man, Derrick Henry was able to see where he didn't want his life to go. His father even said, "I told him: 'You don't need to do that. I mean, that's no life. You can wait and don't get started early. You have a chance to be somebody, not just sit around and let your life waste away.' "
According to CNSNews.com, when accepting the Heisman Trophy, Henry said, addressing the young people:
“I just want to give you all advice. I am hoping I am someone you can idolize yourself behind and look up to because God is everything. Always keep God first. Always pray. Don’t be afraid to pray. He always hears your cry. If you have dreams, go chase them. If you believe it, you can achieve it. And God will be there every step of the way. I am a living testament, man. Growing up, having this dream, I am so nervous. I never thought I would be up here. But God is good. And I get on my knees every night and thank him for everything. So keep God first. Always pray. And always chase your dream.”Keeping God first is apparently the philosophy of someone else who will be participating tonight. He has known adversity, as well - including a father whose life spiraled downward. When his father's business began to slow down and his debt was more than $250,000 according to a piece on the ESPN.com website. As the father struggled to pay the bills, he turned to the bottle. The young man escaped to the backyard or the roof of his house on the nights his father drank. Some nights, he even slept in the family's car until his father woke up sober.
Finally, after domestic violence affected the home, the mother left - they got a divorce. Mother and son bounced around from motels to a condo from which they were evicted because she couldn't pay the rent to other homes. After this young man enrolled in college, he shared an apartment with his roommate - and his mom. Oh, and by the way, this Clemson coach walked on to the football team at the University of Alabama. He almost had to leave school because his financial aid had not come through, but as he tells the story, God provided. He was eventually granted a scholarship by then-head coach Gene Stallings.
This young man, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, eventually reconciled with his dad, and during the final months of his life, his father lived for a while in the basement of Dabo's house.
The Gospel Herald did a story recently on the faith of Dabo, an outspoken Christian. It says:
A dedicated Christian, Swinney's faithful life has, no doubt, been important in his role as a recruiter over the years, helping nervous parents trust their sons to this man, possibly hundreds of miles away. "I've never been bashful about telling people I'm a Christian. That's just who I am. That's my choice," said Swinney in interview posted on the website Sports On Earth (sportsonearth.com). "It's a free country here. I can live my life the way I want to."The story quotes from a 2014 USA Today article, which said: "Recruits and their families want - and deserve - to know who you are as a person, not just what kind of coach you are. I try to be a good example to others, and I work hard to live my life according to my faith."
Well, Dabo's faith got the attention of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, which filed a letter of complaint against Swinney in April 2014 to Clemson University, citing "constitutional concerns about how the public university's football program is entangled with religion." Yes, as the Herald article points out, according to ESPN.com, the team schedules regular team devotionals and provides transportation for players and coaches to "Church Days". In 2012, a Clemson wide receiver asked to be baptized in front of teammates and coaches following a practice. However, religious activities are not compulsory.
So, tonight it's Derrick Henry carrying the ball for the Tide and Dabo Swinney calling the X's and O's for the Tigers. Only one team will be called National Champion at the end of the night. But, for Derrick and Debo, they are both victors. For a number of reasons. I mentioned how they have shared about God's hand on their lives. And, if you are a Christian, then I think it's important to integrate how you've seen God's hand touch you and work in and through your life. The presence of the Lord is a natural, integral part of our personal stories.
I was also impressed how both these guys refused to capitulate, even in the midst of a turbulent family situation. Both gentlemen moved from house to house during a period of time in their lives. But, they did not allow this uncertainty to derail them. They both kept their eyes on what was before them. They refused to look at themselves as victims, but continued to press on.
And, I will say that they both seem to have a respect for fathers who weren't exactly the best role models for them.
They also had a strong support system to take up the slack. The ESPN.com story on Derrick Henry mentions a coach who served as a mentor for him, a mentor who actually stepped in to Derrick's life during his freshman year, a time during which he was unhappy on the Alabama football team; the coach and Derrick's mom both reached out to Coach Saban. The Swinneys had people with whom they stayed during the period after the divorce, and there really did seem to be a sense of community in that apartment building in Tuscaloosa where they lived. At your lowest point, it can be helpful to reach out to people who can help.
So, tonight it's Derrick Henry and Dabo Swinney - two champions who have known seemingly the worst in life, but like a powerful Henry run through the middle of a defense, both of them have learned the importance of pressing on.
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