I got up in the middle of the night to watch the Super Bowl this year. I was in Athens Greece, the Super Bowl was being played in Phoenix Arizona, it’s a nine hour time difference. But hey, the home team Seattle Seahawks were playing in the Super Bowl. Up until the last two minutes it was worth every minute of lost sleep. Even the most illiterate of football fans (like myself) know when it’s second down and one yard from the goal line you have Marshawn Lynch run the ball!
That was Sunday. Today is a new day.
To help me overcome the anguish of the loss, I sought to find something worthwhile out of the whole thing. I am sure there are dozens of lessons about life, leadership, and ministry from this year’s Super Bowl. Here are my top six:
- You made hundreds of great calls to get your team to the championship; your true fans will remember those. Your critics will remember the one stupid call you made one yard from the goal line.
- If the play had worked, no one would be criticizing you today.
- Always remember the loudest boos come from the cheapest seats.
- When you screw up, own it. Pete Carroll did this. He didn’t pass the buck. He didn’t throw Russell Wilson under the bus. The coach owned it because that is what leaders do. Kudos to you Pete Carroll.
- Train, act, and play like a champion: then whether you win or lose you will still respect the person you see in the mirror every morning.
- Lick your wounds for a day. Then get up on Tuesday and train hard, the Super Bowl is only one year away.
Yeah I was heartbroken when the Seahawks lost. But it is only a game. Over the next days and months every decision will be scrutinized, dissected, and criticized. Mostly by people who had no skin in the game, only opinions of the game.
Life, on the other hand, is no game. We, the living, are the ones in the arena; surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. They root for us, bearing witness to His faithfulness. You may fumble the ball or throw the occasional interception. It happens. But faithful is He who called you.
Life is too short for tepid living and timid decisions. Life is best lived fully engaged. It’s your life, now go live it.
Debbie and I serve as the FMI Global Associate Director for MENACA and Europe. We focus on cultivating disciples, leaders, and church planting movements.
