YOU NEED TO:

1) Have the right equipment

2) Know Your Position

3) Play the Game Right

Reggie White was a great football player. He was a Hall of Fame defensive lineman that played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers and was selected for 13 Pro Bowls. He was known as the “Minister of Defense” because he was an ordained minister who had a passion for Christian evangelizing during his playing career. He was a frequent speaker at churches and religious events and was quick to turn post-game interviews into opportunities to proclaim God. Shortly before his death in 2004 at the age of 43, Reggie gave an interview in which he surprisingly said,

“Most people who wanted me to speak at their churches only asked me to speak because I played football, not because I was this great religious guy or this theologian. … I got caught up in some of that until I got older and I got sick of it. I’ve been a preacher for 21 years, preaching what somebody wrote or what I heard somebody else say. I was not a student of Scripture. I came to the realization I’d become more of a motivational speaker than a teacher of the word.”

Some initially misunderstood White’s changed rhetoric as a sign that he had lost religion. Hardly. Tired of having the meaning of faith spoon-fed to him so that he could spoon-feed others, White decided to learn Hebrew so he could study the original texts of the Old Testament — go straight to the source, in essence. White told his NFL Films interviewers that some Christian ministers had warned people to stay away from the new, heretical Reggie.

“I used to have people tell me, ‘God has given you the ability to play football so you could tell the world about him.’ Well, he doesn’t need football to let the world know about him. When you look at the Scriptures, you’ll see that most of the prophets weren’t popular guys. I came to the realization that what God needed from me more than anything is a way of living instead of the things I was saying. Now I know I’ve got to sit down and get it right.”

In Matthew 6, Jesus really starts getting into our motivations. He says, “It’s good that you pray, but are you praying to be seen, or are you praying to talk to me? It’s good that you give to the poor, but are you giving to be seen? Are you looking over your shoulder to be sure that someone notices when you give to the needy? Why are you fasting? Where are your motivations?

What kind of player should you be? In order for your team to win, what kind of player should you be? Should you be committed to helping the team win? Are you the kind of player that REALLY wants the team to win… as long as you get to run the ball at least 30 times in the game… and if you don’t get to, you don’t REALLY care what happens to the rest of the team? Or would you be okay with it if you made the key block that freed up your team’s running back to score the game-winning touchdown even though after the game you knew that no one would take notice of your efforts? Guess what… the coach notices… God notices! What kind of player would you be?

Revelation 3:15-22 tells us: (3:15) I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! (16) So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. (17) You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. (18) I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. (19) Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. (20) Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. (21) To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. (22) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (NIV)

[tags]Reggie White, Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, minister, Revelation, NFL, Matthew, lukewarm, motivation, Hebrew[/tags]