The Faith of Eagles
If ever there was biblical metaphor for the winning Super Bowl team, this is it.
But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint. Is. 40:31
And this was the year that a sports team demonstrated what true faith is. The team that mounted up like Eagles?? None other than the Philadelphia Eagles.
Now I’m a lifelong Giants fan. So for me to root for their division rival, the Eagles, was downright painful at first. But the more I heard about the Eagles, their young second-string quarterback, their underdog status, and most importantly, the faith of many of the teammates, the easier it was for me to root for them.
Often when a player thanks God after a victory, they thank God FOR the victory. With people praying for both teams, it’s prideful to think that God likes your team better and gave you the victory. In fact, I believe God usually works the other way – allowing gracious humility in defeat to demonstrate His loving character.
But this year, the victors were a team with many members dedicated to God. Their testimonies after the unexpected win did not thank God for the win. In each interview, the coach, the injured quarterback, the second-string quarterback, and many others ALL deflected praise and gave glory to God. They talked about their faith and their Bible studies (2x/week). They clearly stated their main purpose in life – to give glory to God and to make disciples. Everything else is secondary.
And that’s the lesson for us. We don’t have to know anything about professional sports to glean deep truths from these players. It’s God alone who deserves the glory. In victory or defeat, God is still God. Our sport, work, play, whatever, is merely a platform from which we can declare the glory of God.
Does this mean we can’t take pride in our accomplishments? Not at all.
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. Col 3:23-24
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Cor. 15:58
There is no greater satisfaction than knowing that you have been faithful with whatever God has entrusted you. And there’s a difference between receiving appreciation vs. glory. Athletes and celebrities are frequently offered glory from their fans, and these players redirected all glory to God.
Win or lose, God still deserves all the glory.
For more on the faith of the Eagles team:
Superbowl champs use their faith to praise God
‘All the Glory Belongs to God’: The Faith of the Super Bowl-Winning Philadelphia Eagles
I saw snippets on my Bible app “YouVision” where some team members were talking about that it is important to stay connected to His Word. It is awesome that they use their celebrity status to point to God.