The Replacements

One of my favorite movies is The Replacements.  As a sports fanatic, anytime that it is on television I find myself watching it.  The story is about a professional football team whose players go on strike and the coach is left finding a “replacement” team to field for the remainder of the season going into the playoffs.  They recruit prisoners, a mute man, a soccer player, a clumsy wide-receiver, and a washed-up has-been known for choking on the big plays as quarterback.  Needless to say, the odds seem stacked against them.

We watch the team practice and wonder how they will score points, let alone win a game.  But, the coach doesn’t give up on his replacements, and we see a team come together and begin to believe in themselves.  Through both comedy and trials, the replacements put points on the board and win enough games to take the team to the playoffs.  Two key lines in the movie come from the head coach.  The first, when asked what his team will need to win, “It takes heart.”  The second, when his team is down with one last play to call, he asks who wants the ball, and when the quarterback nods, he says, “Winners always do.” 

Just like this team of so-called failures, we have a Coach that doesn’t give up on us.  We are His replacements here on earth.  No matter what prison we come from or how many times we have failed in the past, whatever we are known for, He still has plays in mind for our future.  He doesn’t see the passes we have undershot, the receptions we have bobbled, or the field goals that fell short. Each new play is an opportunity to move on from the last.  And, even if yards were lost on the last play, there’s another down to regain them and continue moving ahead. 

In our game of life, our Coach has already won the Super Bowl.  Therefore, as part of His team, we should no longer feel like we are only on defense.  Defending our faith.  Defending against the enemy.  How many times do we hear these terms?  Because our faith is in the absolute Truth, there is nothing that can question it.  Since our enemy has already been defeated, there is no need to keep swinging and trying to block him all of the time.  No!  We have been called to take heart and press on in offense, receiving the plays from our Coach to put up more points for our team.  So, the next time He asks of you, will you take the ball?  Remember, winners always do.