God’s Underdogs

The most profound narrative ever told revolves around God’s underdogs. Storytelling holds a special place in my heart; I passionately root for the underdogs. I deeply admire champions and fervently desire those victories against all odds that only God can provide. Consider David versus Goliath, Gideon versus the Midianites, Moses versus Pharaoh, or Paul versus everybody. Don Quixote stands tall among my heroes, and I’ve carried a wooden statue of him since high school.

1 Timothy 6:12, “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

Being That Person

Within me lives a fighter, or perhaps more accurately, a tenacious, promise-keeping poet who embraces the road less traveled. It’s not about winning but about overcoming. Anyone can win when faced with a weaker opponent. However, can I go the extra mile? Can I make sacrifices for a noble cause? Can I humble myself for the sake of others? Can I be that person?

Isaiah 42:13, “The Lord goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his zeal; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes.”

When thinking about God’s desires for me, I envision Him at the edge of His seat as I grapple with adversity. I see Him cheering as I rise once more. He detests the pain but adores the effort. I belong to Him, and He beams with pride. God is prepared to fight for me and provides opportunities for me to grow stronger. He’s well aware that the path ahead is fraught with danger and disappointment, but He also knows the glory of victory that awaits those willing to persevere.

Deuteronomy 20:4, “For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.”

Vince Lombardi famously expressed, “I firmly believe that any man’s finest hours – his greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear – is that moment when he has worked his heart out in good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious.”

Countless stories of salvation and reconciliation exist, each a prized trophy in God’s display case. Each narrative moves God to tears. He points to each one with joy and pain and says, “They are one of mine.”

Luke 10:19, “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.”

I believe the challenging part is that we must possess a warrior’s spirit to fulfill God’s potential. We don’t often view ourselves as warriors but as ordinary individuals. To be exceptional in God’s eyes can seem like a stretch, but it’s false.

Why do you think God painted this picture?

Ephesians 6:11-17, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.”

God repeatedly encourages us to “stand,”… “Take your stand,”… “Stand your ground,”… “Stand firm,”… “and after you have done everything, to stand.”

After we’ve done everything, the command is simple: stand.

We live within one of the most remarkable narratives ever written, the story of our lives as authored by God of the universe. We find ourselves in a battle against evil, not by our choosing, and we cannot win it alone. But we can play our part.

Be one of God’s underdog stories. That is all God asks of us.

2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”