The Patriots are playing for the AFC championship in a few of hours. I didn’t expect them to go this far this year after their slow start. I noticed something different about them this year…they didn’t play every game to the final whistle. Playing hard to the final whistle has been their hallmark for so many years so when it was absent, I noticed. I played on many soccer teams growing up, where my teammates would quit near the end because they lost hope or gave up. Oh it burned me up. You have to fight to the finish. My track coach would tell us to picture the end line 10 yards past the real one to help us finish strong. I still think of that each morning as I contemplate stopping early or slowing down. I’m compelled to run my best to the end.
Sports has been such a metaphor in my life. I have seen how I choose teams for how they practice, persevere, and work hard. That’s how I want to live my life. That’s what I want to teach my kids. Playing for the Craig team means working hard, persevering, and practicing like you’re in the game. All of us are needed for our Craig family to work like it should. When one of us is losing hope, we need to encourage them to fight to the end. When they (or me) don’t, all of us lose out.
Today I took my kids for a bike ride. I ran beside or in front of them. Annabelle is the strongest and stayed in the lead the whole time. Ronnie LOVES to ride his bike and has super strong legs but for some reason decided to lag behind today. Even when I pushed him, he would put his brakes on. Then there was Lydia. The first part of the ride she slowed down to go with Ronnie even though she knew she could go faster. He wanted to turn around but she kept on coming. Push after push of her pedals she persevered with me and Annabelle. She is our little engine that could. Even when she is tired, she just keeps going.
We all finished at were drinking fresh squeezed lemonade. I called Ronnie aside to talk with him. When I called his name he immediately started to cry. We sat down and I asked him why he was crying. “I’m in trouble.” “Did I tell you you were in trouble?” “No.” “You’re not in trouble buddy.” “I’m mean.” “Did I say you were mean?” “No.” “No. Why are you crying?” “I didn’t do my best.” Wow. He realized that he didn’t do his best. “Do you know that we love you? Do you know that we want to have fun with you in our family and want to be with you?” “Yes.” “We really do. We like you and want you part of our team. We miss you when you don’t want to be with us.” “I’m sorry mom.” “Want to go get your lemonade?” “Yeah.”
We got back to our table where Lydia and Annabelle were celebrating their 6 mile ride with a cold lemonade. Ronnie joined in. I often feel badly about pushing my kids. Yet I feel this deep desire to instill in them how to work hard, persevere, and practice like they mean it. I want them to see that their Craig team needs them and loves them. I want them to be proud of how they played this game of life. Winning is not really the goal, it’s getting up after they are down. It’s supporting their team even if that means they aren’t the MVP. It’s changing behavior with fierce encouragement rather than harsh words or actions. And it’s about not giving up even when you are tired.
I didn’t come up with this idea. It was preached long ago in the life of the Godman Jesus. He exemplified all these characteristics and did them perfectly to honor His Father and to serve us. Then His Father gave us the bible to teach us how to persevere in every quarter of this game of life. Paul, who wrote most of the New Testament, also used sports as a metaphor of how to live life. To run for the prize, to persevere to the end. We will get cut, bruised, tired, and may break a few bones, but the book of Hebrews tells us the Saints of old are cheering us on. How amazing is that?
So, I do hope the Patriots persevere, work hard, and finish well. If they do that and lose, I’m OK with that. If they do and win? Sweet! Superbowl here we come! But for me and my house, I pray that we will not only work hard, practice like we are in the game, and persevere for the Craig team, but for our heavenly one as well. Let’s Go!