What if our faith was a football team?
What position on a football team would your faith be most like?
Do you feel like you are in control of your faith and spiritual growth?
Do you feel like you are a starter when it comes to your spiritual growth or do you feel like you are a second string player still working hard to make it to the starting lineup?
You might even feel like you are still on the practice squad because you haven't suited up on a Sunday yet or accepted the fact that you need to work on your spiritual growth. I think that each of us has a spiritual football team and we each play a wide array of the positions on that team. Some of the positions are hard to play while others are easier. Some of them require different skill sets and stronger faith than others. There is one commonality no matter what position you currently are playing on your spiritual football team, and that is that we all read from the same play book.
When it comes to a football team by far the most important player is the quarterback. Whether he is throwing a pass or handing the ball to the tailback, it must touch his hands. He is the key to making sure that the offense works like a well oiled machine. His confidence level and abilities can make or break a football game. He leads the team, runs the plays, and makes sure that everyone else on the offense knows what to do.
On the spiritual football team the quarterback role is strong in their faith. The quarterback has read the playbook over and over again. The quarterback is a leader in faith and does so by leading bible studies, preaching, teaching, and serving. He takes the field on Sundays just like the rest of the positions on the Spiritual football team. He is willing to share and does not shy away from talking about his faith. He understands that he can't grow in his faith just by himself and he needs the other members of his team to make that happen. The spiritual quarterback watches over the other players and prays for them. He is always willing to help a fellow teammate. He is always willing to pass his knowledge on to other players or hand off to someone that has a better understanding of the playbook. He is always looking for opportunities to learn and grow so that he can go out onto the field of life and share what he has learned.
The spiritual quarterback is best when he is not pushy or boastful. He is best when he leads by example and shows the other players that it is okay to live into their faith. When times are hard or the quarterback is unsure of a situation or an answer, he will bench himself and allow God to be the quarterback and help lead. A good quarterback knows when it is time to lean on God and allow him to show even the quarterback how to play the spiritual game of football.
I believe at some point in all of our spiritual journeys we play the spiritual quarterback. We might not always feel comfortable in that position but we are all capable of playing it when we put our mind to it and our willing to listen, learn, and read the playbook! Unlike a real football team on a spiritual football team anyone can play any of the positions!
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