The Underdog

THE UNDERDOG

Not the cartoon character, though I supposed He's cool in his own way. I've been watching the March Madness NCAA basketball tournament on tv, and if you are not into basketball you don't give a flip, but my point I hope you'll enjoy.

In 2006 I was watching the NCAA tournament and what I love about March Madness is that there are always upsets. A big name, high ranking team will lose to a low ranking college that most of america hasn't heard of. Every year it happens, and this year is no different. Northwestern State beat Iowa? Know where that school is? (Louisiana, not Iowa, you know where that is) there were 4 or 5 upsets. I love it.

Anyway, I love the underdog because no one expects them to do good, win, or move on in the tournament, but some sneak in farther than expected over teams that are expected to win because they are bigger, better, and have more talent.

Now, let's transition that into real life. Are you the type of person that no one expects much from? They don't expect you to succeed or do well in life? Maybe you've got a past or a history of failure or screw ups and people have written you off? Even more, in my years in ministry, I am amazed at the adults and students I meet that don't expect anything from themselves. They have no spiritual goals and they set the bar very low. The want to come and play church or christian, but never seem to want to mature or grow in their faith.

Some of us are underdogs because of others, some of us are underdogs because of our own lack of effort. You are a Child of God. God created you, thefore you are unique, special, and created with purpose. Do not let anyone tell you different. Your past is your past, don't let it determine your future. So what, you have a past, you've made mistakes, messed up, deal with it, accept the consequences and move on. Stop letting people dismiss you, ignore you, or think you'll never change. You will change when you decide you want to change and will truly surrender your life to God and not just parts of it, all of it!

However, if you are in the other category, the person who does not expect much out of yourself, you need to get with the program. You are wasting your time and God's! It's time you start reaching your potential, using your gifts, and start contributing to God's plan for your life. It's like the old saying goes, "If you AIM for nothing, you'll HIT it EVERYTIME".
You are never going to grow, mature, develop, or deepen your relationship with God if you don't start making the effort, stop making excuses, and start owning up to your potential. Set spiritual goals, raise the bar, and see what happens?

Unlike basketball, life isn't a game, and besides my bracket is already messed up in the tournament. Life is real, one time shot, and the way we live everyday and the choices we make everyday determines our destiny. Are you an underdog because of others or are you an underdog because of yourself?

Audio Adrenaline penned these words in a song called "Underdog"
"Been beat up, been broken down, nowhere but up when you're face down on the groundI'm in last place if I place at all but there's hope for this underdog!You can call me the underdogI'm in this race to wine a prize the odds are against methe world has a plan for my demise what they don't see isthe winner is not judged by his small size but by the subsitute he picks to run the race and mine's already run".

With God on our side, no one is an underdog! Stop letting others bring you down and stop bringing yourself down. Start raising your level! Stop lowering your standards! Start moving upward! Stop falling away! It's time to let the world know that who we are, but more than that, it's time the see who God is and how He's changing our lives!

"Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your convictions, give it all you've got, be resolute!"I Corinthians 16:13(The Message)