Let's Hear It for the Underdog

    
As a coach, there is nothing that energizes me more than to be listed as the underdog in a competition. The overcomer in me kicks in and it's on when it comes time to compete. At all levels of sports- competition it's the same. In the Super Bowl the team that should have no chance to win is the very team that we all want to pull through to victory. When the odds are stacked against a team, and when that same team overcomes the odds makers, that's the stuff that Hollywood blockbuster movies are made. But how does that happen? When on paper all the stats point in one direction, the records are being set by the favorite, the prognosticators and critics alike are in agreement, but yet the underdog comes out and wins the game, how does that happen?
      Well according to the Bible, it has a great deal to do with time and chance. Ecclesiastes 9:11 tells us, 

"I have seen something else under the sun:

The race is not to the swift
    or the battle to the strong,
nor does food come to the wise
    or wealth to the brilliant
    or favor to the learned;
but time and chance happen to them all."

"So, you're telling me that the win isn't going to come to the stronger competitor, the more talented team, or the obviously front-runner on paper in the championship bout?" you may be asking. No, that's not what I'm proposing here, all I'm saying is that at the right time, with the right circumstances, under the right conditions time and chance will prevail. If this wasn't true then I guess Las Vegas would be out of business, that's why they play the game! So, am I proposing that all competitors pull back from practicing and preparing themselves to face their "Goliath"? Absolutely not. That is the essence of time and chance. It's kinda like if you aren't in the game, don't expect to win the game. 

     In all of the situations listed in Ecclesiastes 9:11 the victor is not always the one that would garner the most bets if people were looking at the odds. The fastest athlete on the track, the bigger, stronger boxer in the ring, the wisest, brightest, or most brilliant person is not guaranteed to come out on top. But why not? It just makes sense that if 9 out of 10 times I have already beaten the competition in the 400 meter run then I should be guaranteed a victory on the 10 time out as well. That's where time and chance enter the equation. That's why they run the race! The key here is that the underdog won't just win the race because he shows up either. On paper and with all past results the underdog has been beaten in our scenario. Then what makes the difference in this tenth trial? 

     I believe the apostle Paul sums the answer to that question up nicely in his motivational proclamation to the church in Corinth. Paul is using an analogy of running a race and he asks this question. "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Then he directs the people that to win they have to "Run in such a way as to get the prize". He finishes the analogy by giving the secret to success away to the people and to us today. Paul explains that to be ready for the competition he beats his body into submission, he makes himself a slave to the effort, he does all of this so that if and when his time comes, he will have the chance to succeed.  See I Corinthians 9:24-27. 

     Life is a competition, so many times in life we talk about running the race, being beaten out for that job promotion, facing struggles and losing time after time and again in our marriages, our careers, with our children, and in the face of disease or even death. But, time and time again we come out as the victors! Not always, no not even 9 out of 10 times as we mentioned above, yet we must strive forward. We must always continue to train, to fight for the opportunity to try one more time! If life's odds were the determining factor than we would face a hopeless battle when cancer enters the conversation. But that isn't the case, we have hope, and it is our job to fight the good fight and never lose sight of that hope that finds itself in the idea that "there's always a chance". 

     You may be the underdog, it may be that you only have a 10% chance of overcoming that obstacle, heck you may have a 1% percent chance, but you know what? You have a chance. In that one instance, it may just be your time, this may be your one chance to be the "Rocky" in your family. But, you can't ever give up. You can't ever give in, and you certainly won't overcome that mountain in front of you if you don't give it your best each and every day! I may not ever win when I face that giant in front of me, but I can promise you one thing. I'm going to give it my best each and every day of my life, I'm going to work as hard as I can, I'm going to train and learn as much as is possible, and I am going to be prepared when the stage is set and I face off in life's biggest battle. The odds may say I will lose, but I know there is always my time and my chance to prevail! 

Train your mind, body, soul, and spirit each day! Read more, pray more, worship and praise more! Get prepared your chance may be just around the corner! 

 Coach Carter