Last night Americans saw a young man Colt McCoy suffer a loss and then the microphone was on him. His Texas team had lost and they may well have won, after a strong start, had he himself not gone off injured early on.
How do you react to that without preparation and a swirl of emotions? We can learn much form him. First a moments quiet. Don’t speak if you don’t have any words yet!
The he briefly says how much he enjoyed football and then of course he uses a word to warm the heart: team. But my heart was warmed even more when he starts talking about Jesus as a natural part of who he is. No show, it just spills out because that’s who he belongs to.
I have watched dear friends go through greater losses this year. I have seen friends lose most of what they have through the stock market crash and other friends loss virtually lose all their financial resources in this brutal financial era. I have also seen them handle it better than they know. Their faith has just spilt out and even bled as they bled. The community went from the magic Kingdom to Great recession. Teachers took big pay cuts, and vacations were cancelled.
I need to say “Well done” to our Church for so many have handled job loss and business freeze with such grace.
We will bounce back but I hope so a little wiser and determined to glorify the One who was with us at all times.
We have also lost loved ones and some have private losses. There are bad health reports out there and even very close. We carry griefs that many will never know about.
In a time of loss Lord please may Jesus spill out of us, because when there’s little to say He will always light up the occasion.
Postscript.
Well done to Alabama. Bryan Howell our student Minister at the North Campus will be pleased. But ironically the image of victory I have is the coach Nick Saban getting whacked on his shoulder with the increasingly daft “Gatoring” practice, then being interviewed in his greatest moment with a half pink shirt and no doubt wondering how to face the culprits afterwards! Hope they enjoyed the walk home. Winning has its responsibilities too. Funny how the best story came out of defeat.