In case you haven’t noticed yet… America’s largest sporting event is about to take place this weekend… the SUPERBOWL.
In the spirit of this major game, I’ve been thinking of one of the NFL’s most prominent and successful coaches – Vince Lombardi.
Despite long hours and fierce competition, he was a coach who never gave anything but his BEST effort. Just as he drilled his men to be the best players in pro football, he challenged himself. During his 9 years in Green Bay, the Packers had dominated professional football, collecting six division titles, five NFL championships, two Super Bowls (I and II) and acquiring a record of 98-30-4. They had become the stick by which all other teams were measured.
During his time there, he made a speech that is now infamous… called “the number one speech.” There’s a lot to be said about his attitude and the impact that he made, and it’s a fresh inspiration to me in the context of the ministry God has called me to. I’ve included a few of the powerful statements from that speech for you to read and hopefully be challenged by as you pursue the things God has laid before you.
“Winning is not a sometime thing; it’s an all the time thing. You don’t win once in a while; you don’t do things right once in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.
“Every time a football player goes to ply his trade he’s got to play from the ground up — from the soles of his feet right up to his head. Every inch of him has to play. Some guys play with their heads. That’s O.K. You’ve got to be smart to be number one in any business. But more importantly, you’ve got to play with your heart, with every fiber of your body. If you’re lucky enough to find a guy with a lot of head and a lot of heart, he’s never going to come off the field second.
“And in truth, I’ve never known a man worth his salt who in the long run, deep down in his heart, didn’t appreciate the grind, the discipline. But I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle — victorious.”
I’m ready for the grind. I’m ready for the discipline. I’m ready for the heart. I’m ready for the victory!!
JJ.
