“No doubt offense sells the tickets, but defense wins championships” - Paul “Bear” Bryant,
legendary football coach of the University of Alabama, 1958-1992 Just a few years ago I was suiting up and preparing myself for another gridiron battle in the SEC.
I was a walk-on during the Razorbacks’ Houston Nutt-era who found his way onto the special teams and practiced a lot of defense through the week, especially as a scout teamer. Nevertheless, I earned a few letters and learned a few lessons about life.
One thing you learn quickly in college football is, although off ense is critical, defense wins championships. When you think about it, defense is a lot like life.
Offense is typically controlled and with some sense of cadence.
Defense is more reactive and chaotic - you rarely repeat the same play twice, and you never get information ahead of time.
Offense is mostly about moving forward. Life seems to be a challenge of not getting pushed backwards - especially when it comes to aging.
Off ense celebrates reaching goals with fireworks, roaring crowds and stadium-wide high fi ves; a defensive celebration seems to carry the excitement of arriving back to work Monday morning - your people are grateful you showed up on time.
Maybe I’m exaggerating, but wouldn’t you agree that, often, defense is the unsung hero of the season and more in line with daily life?
So why is this important to you today?
Defense is the essence of humility. Humility is not the ability to think less of yourself, but the ability to think of yourself less.
Defensive teams don’t have goals. Their only objective is to provide more opportunities for the offense to reach its goals.
Defensive players live and potentially sacrifi ce everything for the bigger picture. It’s not easy to play defense. You’re always reacting to another’s lead and receiving another’s plan. You take the ball from one to give it to another.
Life is never about me, myself and I.
When I think about examples of this kind of sacrificial humility, I think of moms who unselfi shly wake up each morning to prepare their teams for the day ahead. I remember watching professional football as a kid and seeing many players holding their index fi ngers before the camera shouting, “Hi, Mom! We’re number one!” I wonder how many champions were made by moms who knew howto play defense.
When I think of humility, I also think of educators who stay up late and sacrifi ce their own well-being to diff erentiate the lesson plan for the few kids who need extra attention.
Victorious faith and humility are inseparable.
Humility is the X factor that lifts a team or a life to championship caliber.
In Proverbs 18:12, the Bible says: “Haughtiness goes before destruction;
humility precedes honor.” In other words, off ense may sell the tickets, but people who can play defense are special, and they win championships.
Why does this matter to you? Imagine the above scripture were not aimed at one singular life, but two successive generations. A mom is represented by the word humility, and her child the word honor. Humility is the foundation of honor, just as defense is the foundation of a champion.
Jesus is the ultimate example of living for a successive generation.
He laid down his life in humility, so future generations could pick it up in honor. We can walk in life because he walked in death. We can walk in victory because he suff ered loss. We will experience resurrection because he encountered a cross. As the rightful king of the Earth, Jesus was tempted to prioritize honor, but knew, if honor becomes our goal, it evades us like jelly on a butter knife.
However, if we prioritize humility, champions arise, championships are won and honor is found.
Defense equals championships, and humility equals honor.
Which are you pursuing in your daily life? Maybe its time to play a little defense. Our families, our country and our world are in a third-down-and-short situation. Maybe you are in a third-down-and-short situation.
Although it will require all your heart, soul, mind and strength, don’t you think it’s time for a defensive stand? Why not let the power of humility guide you forward? It just might win you a championship.
JOSH FOLIART WAS A TWOYEAR LETTERMAN FOR THE ARKANSAS RAZORBACK FOOTBALL TEAM. HE CURRENTLY IS LEADING A CHURCH PLANTING INITIATIVE BASED IN LIMA, PERU, CALLED MULTIPLI: CULTURES OF LIGHT AND LIFE.
Religion, Pages 10 on 09/28/2013