In our house, we are avid football fans. Therefore, these past few days have been heaven for us, with NFL, college, and even high school football games being broadcast on various channels. In spite of all three of my favorite teams suffering losses, I still have enjoyed many games because of their competitiveness and entertainment value. My husband will attest to my fanatic nature during football season. I yell at my TV, shake my head in despair, and have even been known to retreat to my bedroom and lock the door during a down-to-the-wire nail biter.
Because of my crazy love of football, not to mention my referee eternal companion, I have acquired some basic knowledge of the game. I find myself shouting three phrases in particular at the rectangular device in my living room.
“CATCH THE BALL, AND THEN RUN!”
“WOULD SOMEBODY PLEASE TACKLE HIM?!”
“HOLD ON TO THE BALL, PETEY!”
In contemplating life lessons in relation to football (so as to make my watching it more productive), I have found that I could just as easily shout those things to myself at times.
When I see a receiver move to advance the ball prior to actually catching it, I want to pull out my hair. It is like chewing your food before it is actually in your mouth. Yet, how often do I figuratively do this? It might be when I try to do things my own way and in my own time, without waiting for the Lord to give me His will for my life. It might be when I try to understand a Gospel principle without practicing it, perhaps even forming my own conclusions as to why it may not be that important to follow. It might be when I try to move too far too fast, without patiently adhering to the counsel of “line upon line, precept upon precept” that has been promised to us as we are spiritually prepared to obtain further light and truth.
When the team for which I am cheering is playing defense, I almost dive into the television in order to help them take down the opposing players. The basic wrap-them-up technique is often under-practiced and under-used, as my team misses tackle after tackle while I watch in utter dismay. I liken this to our own opposition: Satan, worldly desires, the natural man. While Satan wishes to advance his score in our lives, we would like to take him down to the turf, sack him, intercept his passes, and whatever else we can do to keep him from our lives. However, often I will let him gain a few yards in my life. Throw a deep pass of doubt into my mind. Score a touchdown of despair in my heart.
Probably my favorite thing to holler is inspired by one of my favorite movies. In Remember the Titans, during a practice, Coach Boone punishes a player who keeps fumbling the ball. He asks him, “Why are you fumbling my football?” Petey blames his blockers, to which the coach tells him that his blockers have nothing to do with him fumbling the football because they didn’t lose the football; he did. Coach Boone then tells him to go run one mile, and, as Petey heads to do so, tells him, “You’re killing me, Petey! You’re killing me!”
Thus, when I call someone Petey during a football game, this is what I am referencing. Players will hold the ball out in front of them, inviting a defender to take it away. They will loosely hold it as though it holds no significance. They let it slip out of their hands out of carelessness. Granted, they also may lose it to an excellent defender who knocks it skillfully out of their grasp, or they may get hit so hard that the ball is knocked loose. These are understandable. Do I ever take my spirituality for granted, not truly holding on with all my might? Do I sometimes waiver in my testimony because of a world that has me having to defend my every belief? Do I occasionally neglect prayers, scripture study, or meeting attendance, allowing my relationships with my Father in Heaven and my Savior to deteriorate? If we truly hold on to that ball with all our hearts and all our strength, even the most skilled defender to our everlasting happiness won’t be able to stop us from reaching that end zone, where we will be rewarded with eternal joy and love.
It is my hope that we will all be able to catch the ball and then run, as we trust in the Lord’s timing; that we will tackle Satan’s attempts before they have a chance to move too far into our souls; that we will have the heart and discipline that Petey eventually displayed and hold fast to our testimonies and to the Gospel principles that guide us towards the light of our loving Father above and His son, our Redeemer.
For that is the victory that truly matters.
For that is the victory that truly matters.
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