In the late summer of 1966, an older friend of mine talked me into going out for football. I first said no, but he insisted so I went to the first night of practice to see what it was like. Back then I weighed, soaking wet, 135 pounds. I was a freshman at Fulton County High School. I made the team. I would be wearing number 40 on my FCHS Pilots jersey. There were 3 other freshmen my size and the coach would not let us do much. I believe he thought we would get hurt. We were so small the only thing we added to the team was filling up space on the bench.
On Fridays, game day, all of the football players would wear their jersey to school. I felt so proud being a Fulton County Pilot. We would have a pep rally, and the star players would speak saying what we were going to do to the opponent that night. One of those Fridays, I was feeling important in class with my jersey on and so happy to be a Pilot when a classmate brought me down to size very quickly. My little football player strut was over for that year. She said to me, with a convincing and very confident voice, You don't even play. All you do is sit on the bench. Quickly what little strength I had in me left like the air coming out of a pin pricked balloon. I still remember it to this day and believe it or not as I write this, it is game day.
I still remember her name, but I will keep it to myself. She was right, and I knew it. I didn't add any more to the team than she did being a fan.The only thing the other 3 small players and I would do in practice was warmup exercises before practice and running sprints at the end of practice. What we did in between our exercises drills was look for change that people dropped around the concession stand. You know 25 cents back then would buy more than it does now.
Saying all of this leads me to this. If she had not said those negative statements, in the tone she said it in, I would probably have quit or sat on the bench the other 3 years. I now was determined to play football and get off the bench. One more thing that helped me and was also an humbling experience was our athletic banquet in the Spring. The coach was talking about all the players that actually played. Some got trophies for their dedication and playing ability. I don't even remember my name being called. I made my mind up right then that I was going to play in actual games.I was going to get me a trophy. The next year, I got a trophy for being the most improved player.My senior year I got best lineman. I also played the whole entire game. I played right guard on offense, center for extra points and punts, and middle linebacker on defense.
I go back to this many times. When I want to do something that is hard or I feel inadequate on attempting something, I remember this story from the past. Back then my classmate did not believe I would ever get off the bench. She was right, unless I started believing in myself. Yes, it is hard when you are the only one who believes in you. Many of you know what I am talking about. Many of you have gotten off the bench of life and have made extra ordinary accomplishments in helping people. And some, like me, have had that one triggering event that caused you to decide to give everything you have or quit. There is no in between. You either do it or don't.
I made friends for life playing football. Playing as a team taught me so much about life. Sometimes we try our projects alone when we really need it to be a team project. Every player on the team that wore the Fulton County Pilots whether it was on the jersey or letter jacket ended up Playing in the Game. All of them were a great bunch of guys.
It is the time of the year for baseball playoffs, college football, and NFL football. All sports enthusiast have teams they root for. Many even wear the jerseys of their favorite players. Some of these enthusiast wear jerseys, jackets, or caps of their favorite team. They wear the name but will never get in the game. Only the real players will get in the game, and it is expected of them from the owners, coaches, and especially the fans. The players of the game have spent many hours practicing their craft. They study films of their opponents. They are in top physical shape. They practice over and over the plays until they come natural to them. They are heavily criticized if do not play to their full potential. Their desire is to play in the game no matter the weather or the pain.
Today because of my age, I can only be a fan or a spectator of football, but Christian is one name we all can wear, and we are never to be a spectator. Christians are to play in the game from the day we put on Christ's name until we die.(Revelation 2:10) There is always a play you can run, always a team member to lift up, and the reward for playing is not money nor trophies. The reward is eternal life for you and anyone else you have influenced by playing until the game is over. This game has rules to abide by just like football. One main difference in this game is everyone that plays is a winner, and they can make others winners also.
Acts 11:26 says, And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch, NKJV. How did they put on Christ? In Galatians 3:26-27 the Apostle Paul tells the churches of Galatia: For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ, NKJV. So they put on Christ and they were called by the new name that God was going to call His people as prophesied in Isaiah 62:2, You shall be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord will name, NKJV.
So if we say we are Christians, we wear the name of Christ. By wearing His name we have the responsibility to uphold that name with all the ability God has given us. God has given all of us different abilities in which we can be His servants. We know this by the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30. The one talent man sat on the bench, unlike the ones with two and five talents. The two and five talent men doubled their talents. God called the one talent man a lazy and wicked servant and ordered him to be cast into the outer darkness.
When I was wearing my football jersey that Friday in class, I was really acting like one of the players but was quickly reminded that I had not played in one game. This fact really hurt, but it was a good lesson. If I had not made my mind up to do what it took to be a good player and desired to get it the game, I would have been cut from the team. Instead, because of my determination, I learned how to play 3 positions and added to the team.
If I only wear the name Christian and do not serve my God and fellow man as a Christian, this is what will happen: Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in your name?' And I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!
I can't wear the name of Christian and live anyway I please. I must live and act in accordance to God's will. Players of any sport realize they must play by the rules.
I can go to church and sit on a pew and go home thinking that is all I have to do to be a servant of God. I did that at one time, but I realized that I was just sitting on the bench not engaging in the work of a servant of God. If I didn't change, I would have no influence as a Christian and there would be eternal consequences. Also, my children and grandchildren could imitate my Christian life and have the same eternal consequences. This woke me up. I want to get in the game!
Just a few short years ago 78 percent of the people in our country called themselves Christian. Look at the immorality that we have today. Immorality is more popular than morality. Do you think Christians are sitting on the bench and letting Satan's team win? God doesn't like abortion, yet we have had more than 56,000,000 abortion in this country since Row vs Wade. Since the late 60's God has been almost taken out of every aspect of public life. Children are being taught the theory of evolution as fact and Bibles are not being allowed into the classroom. Seventy percent of black children are being born out of wedlock with many of the families today of all races fragmented due to adultery and fornication. Calling the act of homosexuality another form of diversity is being forced upon all people.Same sex marriages not far behind it. What do you think? Who's game are we playing? Who's rules are we playing by, God's or Satan's?
If football players today played football like all of the people who say they are Christians in this country, they would be fired immediately. Being a successful athlete requires a love for the game, learning the plays, practicing daily, and knowing the rules setup to play the game.They cannot go out on game day and play anyway they want.
If Christ looked at my Christian life would it make Him want to puke?(Revelations 3:14-21) I. Rick Hepler, have to examine myself to see if ,on the playing field of life, I am living as the light of the world pleasing God by showing His love and mercy. Have I been as the salt of the earth by getting close to people and teaching them the love of God, His plan for our salvation, and also His wrath if we die lost? I am getting in the game. I don't want to wear the name of Christian and look like the world. I want to be Christ like.
Are you a Christian? How do you talk? Is your language salted with profanity? Do you drink alcoholic beverages? Do you do the things of the world and dress like the world? Do you love God with all your heart soul and mind?(Matthew 22:37) If so, is He really first in your life? I am writing this on a Sunday. Did you worship God today? Do you put sports and other forms of recreation and entertainment before God?
My answers to these questions hurt. God loved me so much He gave His Son to die for me so I can have the opportunity of an eternal life with Him.. My decision was: I want in the game. Things are not going to get better if Christians remain on the bench. There are a few that are playing the game for God and battling evil everyday, but they need all Christians working to get off the bench to defeat our opposing enemy, Satan.
What if someone said to you. You don't act like a Christian, I have never seen you on the playing field. Would it upset you?
I wish Christ's prayer in John 17:20-26 would be answered.
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My promise to you is: to get better with my writing skills, and to write stories and books that will encourage you, your children, and grandchildren to desire to grow a faith in God that will help all face the giants of this life and be in heaven with God for an eternity in your next life. As always I appreciate you reading my post and buying my book.
Thank you so much!
Rick
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