Super Bowl Reflection

I watched the Super Bowl in fast motion; It took about an 90 minutes – and only because I watched the commercials in regular speed. I recorded the game on DVR and sped through it to see what happened. Caleb, my 20 year old son, had called earlier in the afternoon and left a message for me to call him so I did with about 4 minutes to go in the first half – according to MY version of the game. I wouldn’t let him tell me who won the game!

I rarely watch NFL football anymore because my Sundays are workdays for me. I can’t remember the last time I actually watched the Super Bowl as it was played. I’ve listened to many, many Super Bowls on the radio as I would take my boys back to Bentonville; seems my weekend always fell on Super Bowl Sunday. At least on the radio you don’t have to watch the commercials!

My favorite commercial was the Taco Bell commercial with the lions watching the campers eat some new burrito or something. The lions talked with each other with one trying to teach the other to roll his “R”s.

You may know that the head coaches in the Super Bowl are Christians and openly apply Christian principles to both life and coaching. Tony Dungy, of the winning Colts, said this to CBS’s Jim Nance as he received the Lombardi trophy for winning the game:
“Lovie Smith (Chicago’s coach) and I are not only the first two African-Americans (to coach in the Super Bowl), but Christian coaches, showing that you can win doing it the Lord’s way. And we’re more proud of that.”

Here’s a guy at the top of the game. There is opportunity awaiting him that few people ever realize. His audience was larger than all but two television audiences EVER! The final episode of M*A*S*H and the Pittsburg/Dallas Super Bowl in the ‘70s are the only television programs to draw a larger audience. The Baptist Press headline put is this way: “Tony Dungy, at NFL’s pinnacle, points still higher to God.”

He didn’t have to do that. Or did he? Something inside true believers compels them to point toward God. That “something” is the Holy Spirit. It’s been said that the Holy Spirit’s primary role is to point to Christ – and this is true. The Holy Spirit is within true believers and he compels us to point to Christ. Tony Dungy did something many believers would not do. Tony Dungy did something many Christians would be ashamed to do. Tony Dungy did something many Christ-followers shy away from.

Tony Dungy did NOT quench the Holy Spirit as the Spirit compelled Dungy to point to Christ. My stage may never be as large as Dungy’s. My accomplishments may never draw the excitement from the sports world as his. My opportunities to point to Christ may never be as public as Dungy’s. But I must still never quench the Spirit as he compels me to point to Christ.