I always find movies that transcend a simple plot or sports that offer something beyond a winner and loser more compelling. Those that speak in some way of Kingdom principles or the human struggle stick with me more than those that offer a mere few hours of entertainment.
Perhaps beyond just the Ravens’ success, this NFL season has been more memorable to me than any other that I can remember. We witnessed as Coach Chuck Pagano overcame a battle with cancer to rejoin his team in the playoff race. Peyton Manning, one of the all-time greatest quarterbacks, came back from multiple neck surgeries to lead his team to a number one seeding in the playoffs. Rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III made his debut by taking a bottom ranking team to the postseason. And one of my favorite players and most notable team leaders, Ray Lewis, returned from an injury, announced that he will retire after this seventeenth season, and somehow, he keeps managing to keep his underdog team alive in the race for the Lombardi Trophy.
Much talk has circulated around the Ravens’ linebacker this year. Every game we wonder, “Is this the last time we’ll see one of the greatest defensive players take the field?” Some have even used this story to motivate their team and discourage the Ravens. In Boston before the AFC Championship game, they erected billboards counting down to what they called “Ray’s retirement party.”
There’s something about humanity that loves the underdogs, the unexpected wins, the old veterans leading teams to unlikely victory. I admit that I feel a little sense of vindication, knowing that Boston commuters were forced to look at those unfulfilled prophecies erected high in the sky.
As Ray Lewis’ retirement party keeps getting delayed, he has become more and more outspoken about the Lord’s role in his life. Following the AFC Championship win he said, “If you sacrifice anything for God, He will give you your heart’s desire, if it aligns with God’s will… God kept telling me, ‘No weapon formed against you shall prosper.’ Anytime you trust in God, man can’t tell you what you cannot do… I was hurt when I saw a sign that that said my [career] would end tonight. Man can’t dictate that; God dictates that.”
Many might say that “football is just a game and doesn’t need to be over-spiritualized.” However, I’m sure others could say the same about life experiences that weigh on us – our occupations, life struggles, or anything we find significant. Likewise, there have been no shortage of people pointing fingers at Ray Lewis’ past – his moral failings and his run-in with the law. Even Ray himself has been open about those dark days. For us who aren’t in the spotlight, we are spared the public ridicule and criticism. Instead, a deeper voice often speaks discouragement to us. Our greatest critic often times is ourself.
A couple of Sundays ago, we studied the second half of Romans 7. We saw how every verse was an utter confession of failure. We saw in Paul a similarity to Lance Armstrong’s greatly anticipated confession. “I am deeply flawed.” For ten verses, these are Paul’s canonized declarations.
Many people will stop there. Many people will define themselves by their shortcomings. What I don’t or can’t do resounds louder than our potential. But Paul doesn’t stop there. One of the greatest chapters in all of Scripture follows the juicy confession of Romans 7. “Yes, even I, even a deeply flawed individual such as myself, can do all things through Jesus Christ who gives me strength.”
What resonates so loudly in my heart is not what Paul or Ray Lewis did. My calling is not to plant churches in Asia Minor or play professional sports. What I look up to, what makes these men heroes to me, what gives me hope for my own life is that they heard God speak to them. They gripped onto the belief that their identity is not found in their failures or criticisms. It is found in God’s power in their life. They lived the idea of resurrection – that God will raise them from their ashes. “Victory in Jesus” should not be a forgotten or empty mantra. The story God weaves is bigger than our present circumstances and struggles and greater than the story we can fabricate ourselves. They stand up in the face of adversity and proclaim with faith, “No weapon fashioned against me will prosper.” They don’t just say it; they believe it. They live it.
It is not mere “Prosperity Theology” to say, “God will work things out for my good” or “no weapon fashioned against me will prosper.” Our problem isn’t that we expect too much of God; it’s that we often expect so little. It’s not mere positive thinking when we declare God’s promises for our life. That’s called faith.
Today, God is calling out to us. He is saying, “You are my son, my daughter. You aren’t just making it. You are more than a conqueror.” Listen to His words, let them seep into the deepest parts of your soul, your mind, your hurts, your embarrassments, and your struggles. And say, “Yes Lord, I am not defined by society, my failures, or my accomplishments. I am who you say I am, for You are the Great I AM.”