GameDay is Finally Here!

This is the day countless college football fans have been waiting for!

Sure, there’s been some lesser known teams, less talented teams, and teams with smaller fan bases that have played in recent weeks.

But this week, this day, it’s time to say, as one FB friend said, “Let’s Go You Hairy Dawg!”

It’s incredible how impactful sports, college football in particular, is in the South. For months, colleges across the nation have been wavering back and forth on the subject of college football.

But without reservation it seemed that the SEC (the nation’s top football conference in my opinion) was determined to assure a college football season happened for these young men, universities, and fans across the South.

Slowly but surely each of the other Power Conferences waded into the unknown to offer their student athletes the opportunity to showcase their skills. What seemed to be a daunting disappointment several months ago is now becoming a newfound reality of football being played in large stadiums, under the lights, and soon to be ‘between the hedges.’

However, these decisions haven’t come without much wisdom, innovation, and sacrifice. The leadership of conferences, universities, and teams have had to make important decisions that have both an immediate and long-term impact on everyone in their ‘bubble.’

First and foremost, decisions must be made based on the health and well being of those involved. Other factors include legal policy, social awareness, and financial obligation to name a few.

But at the end of the day, these leaders are responsible for making well-informed decisions to push the mission of their agency forward. So, today, the fans of the SEC celebrate. We say thank you for re-igniting a confidence, a hope, and a joy to see our favorite teams play this game we love.

Now let’s think about this. In the wake of uncertainty it becomes ever-increasingly important for Christians to do the same. “What’s that?” you ask. To restore the confidence, the hope, and the joy of moving the ball forward in our faith in the midst of unfamiliar times.

Christian leaders and their congregants have been forced to re-consider how they ‘do church’ for the past several months. And in the wake of trying to navigate such tumultuous waters many have caught the flack of appearing to be too extreme by those standing on the shore.

“Pastor you’re moving too fast. Moving too slow. Asking too much. Pressing too hard. You’re too quiet. You’re too loud. You’re not here. You’re too close. Lean in. Stand back. Use a mic. Wear your mask.”

No wonder pastors are getting confused, depressed, and burned out. Too many of them are taking their cues from people just like them who lack understanding and experience with navigating their lives in the middle of a pandemic.

Most of us are not in the shoes of making decisions that will trickle down to literally millions, thousands, or even hundreds of people. We may not be the president or CEO of any corporation or the pastor of a large congregation, but we have influence. So whether your reach is to millions or just one, make every decision count.

For those who call themselves Christians consider some of the same attitudes and experiences that those college football fans will witness today; wisdom, innovation, and sacrifice.

Be wise. As we continue to walk through life let’s be sure that the decisions we are making are wise. Not precisely at the hand of human reason and logic, but according to the wisdom that comes from above. Our decisions aren’t always neatly packaged to accommodate human thought; sometimes He leads us to make decisions that point ultimately to Him as the wellspring of all our ways.

Be innovative. As the world is ever-evolving so must our open-handed approach to accomplishing His will. Our innovation is not void of His leadership; it never compromises the core conviction of His preeminence. But He has given us various tools and talents to influence others and to carry out His plans.

Be willing to make sacrifices. Life is just weird these days. And when times seem uncertain it’s easy to stay close to the shore of comfort and familiarity. But I’m pretty sure God is calling us to push away from the shore. The paddling into unknown waters may be difficult but He promises to be with us. It’s in our willingness to sacrifice that we will begin to look more like Christ and give others a glimpse into the heart of God and the love He has for us.

So today, we celebrate. We celebrate the small victories. We celebrate the big victories. We even celebrate the difficult setbacks and the unfamiliar nature of today’s crazy world. Why? Because we know that He is using every moment in our lives to restore the confidence, hope, and joy that can only be found in Him!