Labor Day weekend is upon us, and for many it means hitting the books
instead of hitting the beaches. The end of summer, the beginning of fall.
Baseball winds down, and football takes over. With football being the guiding
force in two towns in Eastern Pennsylvania where my parents are from. Two small
towns totaling about 6500 residents between them, where it is all about
football. With game day crowds from 7000-8000 to prove it. The show Friday
Night Lights may have touched on it, but having a family that grew up where you
were with Methodist or football, you made a choice. But as much as they
anticipated the season starting, it was all about them facing off on
Thanksgiving Day, and who had the bragging rights until next year. You may have
won every game, but if you lost on Thanksgiving, that was your legacy. You may
be All Conference, have a full ride scholarship to Penn State, but if you threw
the interception, dropped the pass, or missed the tackle, that was how you would
be remembered. I can remember being at the Park with my cousin, and having
someone pointed out, “his Dad blew the game in ‘49,” or “she might be pretty,
but her brother threw the interception last year,” and she would be forever
tainted. But their all time great halfback Woody Petchel was a friend of mine,
wonder if he is still dodging tacklers and scoring touchdowns today? Winning or
losing would dictate the mood over the dinner afterwards, some were very quiet
at my Grandparents when they lost, and exciting when they won. The cars going
by honking and waving, with all of us waving back, but when you lost......and
this year they celebrate 100 years of the rivalry.
Football was winning on Thanksgiving, my parents told of one year the
opposing quarterback was kidnapped right before the game, and returned right
after. They knew who did it, no charges filed, all was fair that day, with
winning being the only thing as Vince Lombardi once said. He could have been
talking about this rivalry. But the story that I heard over and over, was how
one Thanksgiving,while everyone from both towns were at the stadium, some
thieves went through both towns and cleaned out the businesses. A huge loss
financially, but coming in second to who won and lost on the field. Heroes were
made that day, and heroes lost, boyfriends and girlfriends would break up,
families quit speaking, and employment might change. What it was, was football,
and your future might depend on it. 48 minutes that would change the life of
many.......
The story is told of how Jesus met two men along the road one Friday
afternoon. They were men of no reputation like he was, they had been convicted
as thieves, Jesus as claiming to be the Son of God. Not much is recorded of
their conversations as they hung on crosses for hours, but one man recognized
Jesus as the savior, his savior, and despite his past, was promised heaven. No
classes, no rote prayers, no joining a church, no going forward at a service,
evangelism in its most basic form, one on one with Jesus. His past was all he
had up until then, now all he had was a future, all predicated on his winning
that afternoon. While the crowds ridiculed him, made fun of Jesus, and taunted
him, he heard the voice of the holy spirit calling to him, and his simple words,
“Jesus remember me in paradise,” told of his repentant heart, his recognition of
Jesus as his Lord and savior, and his final choice of where he would spend
eternity. Sadly his other thief friend denied the very thing he embraced,
choosing his past over his future, being prideful until the end thinking God
would never, or could never forgive him. One house that night would claim
victory, another in defeat.
I think of all the winners I have known over the years, having it all but
forsaking it and denying Jesus Christ. Like the rich man who was told to sell
all he had and give to the poor, is riches drug him down and he drowned in his
sin. How much will Bill Gates leave when he dies? Everything, you cannot take
it with you. Handsome, rich, powerful men dying with all the toys, yet not
winning eternity. Their Thanksgiving Day game of life hinging on what they
have, or thought they had, fumbling themselves into hell in the final moments.
The spirit is always calling to us, Jesus is knocking, just not one knock, but
knocking, to be let in. Yet they turn up the sound, trying to drown him out.
His love never failing as the person he calls to does. We may never know what
exactly transpired on the cross between the three men that day, it is as
personal as when we come to Christ, but Jesus once again proves that winning is
everything, and the only thing. One thief that day won the only game he ever
may have won, but it is how he will be remembered, and remembering Christ. The
other who denied him will not be there, but spend eternity knowing who and and
what he rejected. We are not guaranteed tomorrow, and today will be the day of
salvation for many. Don’t blow a great career for a big loss, or forego heaven
because of your past. We are all born into sin and fall short of God’s glory.
But Jesus gives us all that one last chance to make it to heaven. No matter
where you may be hanging out or hanging out with...
Overtime and sudden death have new and different meanings to Christians.
Overtime is where we will spend eternity in heaven with Jesus. The others who
have rejected him over time, will know sudden death. Life begins at death for a
Christian, it ends when you deny Jesus. Don’t be like the woman at the airport
who recognized All Star first baseman, John Kruk. “You’re famous, you’re an
athlete, aren’t you?” she asked. “No mam, I’m a ballplayer.” Some are in the
game to play. Some are in the game to win, today you may be the comeback player
of the year by being saved, or mourned over for denying him and losing
everything. Personally I have gotten used to winning in Christ....I have taken
up my cross and followed the man on the cross. Three men, one conversation.
Choices to be made. Just might give you a whole new perspective on
Thanksgiving....and football.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com