"Keep Going!!"

Here’s a little sliver of vulnerability from me to you: To be honest, I wasn’t entirely sure what to write about today. I wanted what I wrote to add value to you, make you think, and perhaps even plant a seed of hope if you weren’t feeling it today. But, If I’m being completely transparent...

I’m totally “winging” this whole nonprofit, blog, and social media thing. I’m widely under-qualified and there are about a million people who would be better at this than me. But, God didn’t ask them to start this business, He asked me. So I’m going to do it to the very best of my ability. 

There’s a movie that we used to watch all the time as kids called, “Facing the Giants.” In it, there’s this football coach who has been trying and trying to help his team for years but just hasn’t been succeeding. One day, after hearing the school board in a meeting, discussing how to replace him, he changes tactics and leads based on God’s word. He starts expecting more from his team, pouring into them, and helping them see the value and importance they hold as a member of the team and a role model to many other kids. In one particular scene, he challenges Brock, the defense captain, leader of the team, and most influential player to do the “Death Crawl” with Jeremy (a very heavy teammate) on his back. Brock gets ready to follow instructions but before he can get in position, the coach asks him to promise to do his very best. Coach remarks that he thinks Brock can make it to the fifty-yard line with Jeremy on his back (a painfully long, nearly impossible distance) But, even if he can’t, he wanted him to do “his very best.” Oh, and there’s one more thing. Brock had to be blindfolded. 

He begins and the coach encourages him to keep going with phrases like, “that a boy Brock” and “Keep coming.” Meanwhile, the rest of the team jokingly shouts their own encouragement. It becomes visibly obvious that Brock begins to struggle more and more...his breath gets more ragged, his arms quake, and he continues to ask if he’s made it yet. The team starts to get quiet and stares as Brock painfully moves down the field with Jeremy on his back, keeping his knees from ever touching the ground. The whole way, Coach encourages him to keep going, not to stop, and that the boy promised to give his very best. 

Eventually, the coach is YELLING to keep moving, and to give his very best, and to not quit on him. Not to quit till he has nothing left!

“He’s heavy! I’m about out of strength!”

“I know he’s heavy. Then you need to negotiate with your body to give you more strength but don’t you give up on me, Brock. You keep going, you hear me? You keep going, you’re doing good! You keep going!”

A pin could drop and everyone would hear it. The whole team and the two assistant coaches were staring in awe at what was going down.

​At this point, the Coach was on his hands and knees with Brock, shouting to keep going. 

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“Just 30 more steps....20 more steps....10 more steps....5 more!!....1 more!”

Brock collapses from the pain and exhaustion, and Jeremy rolls off his back. The coach tells the player to take off his blindfold and look up. He’s in the Endzone.

Then, the Coach says something so profound, “Brock, you are the most influential player on the team. If you walk around defeated, so will they. Don’t tell me that you can’t give me more than I’ve been seeing! You just carried a 140 lb man across this whole field on your arms! Brock, I need you. God’s gifted you with the ability of leadership; don’t waste it! Can I count on you?”

“Yes.”

“Coach…?”

“What is it Jeremy?”

“I weigh 160…”

Every time I watch this scene I can’t help but see the parallels between us and God. Just like the Coach, God sees our potential, He recognizes the talents, giftings, and abilities in us that we don’t see or acknowledge in ourselves. He’s asking that we give Him “our very best” despite what we think we’re capable of. 

He calls out the best in us but we have to be willing to follow Him no matter what. He singles us out for our specific calling and shows us what He’s seen in us the entire time. It’s intentional, loving, and good. 

So, in our “Death Crawl” moments in day-to-day life, big events, and tough decisions, we have to choose whether or not we’re going to listen to His encouragements to “keep going” or if we’re going to hold back and not give it our all due to the uncomfortability of it all. And just like the coach, God is right there with us every step of the way. 

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