I want you to picture a cold, windy, wintry, December night in San Antonio. The date is December 22, 2007 and the Katy Tigers are playing for their fifth state title at the Alamodome. The Tigers start out rough, but finish in style, winning 28-7, finishing the season a perfect 16-0, and adding another trophy to their already crowded trophy case. Now flash forward eight months. It is August in Houston. The air is hot, humid, yet the crowds still flock to see their team open up football season. The 2008 Katy team had the unfortunate privilege of opening up their season against another perennial powerhouse in Houston, North Shore. It was a battle of attrition. The game went back and forth, but unfortunately for the mighty Tigers the Mustangs just outlasted them. The final was 10-6 and the Tigers quest to keep their win streak alive was over. The very next week Katy would again meet defeat, but this time the margin of defeat was greater. The Tigers left The Woodlands as recipients of a 47-0 thrashing. Things did not look good for the Tigers. Over the next few weeks the Katy Tigers reshuffled their team. Young players began to step up, all positions were up for grabs, and lo-and-behold, the Tigers started to win. Katy would finish the season 7-3 and district runner up. Not a bad regular season finish for a team that so many people counted out after starting the season 0-2.
Many thought, myself included, that this team would make it to about the second or third round of the playoffs and then make a quiet exit. It was to be expected for a team that was rebuilding. Now we flash forward from the end of the regular season to today. Katy is now in preparation to play in their second state title game in two years and their eighth trip to the finals in fifteen years. This Tiger team has blown all expectations out of the water. The Tigers have beaten their playoff opponents with an average score of 42.8 to 8.6. So why this big turnaround? Well, this is the best description I can give you. This team has proven that we should NEVER underestimate the heart of a champion. Others may talk of talent, strength of schedule, etc... but where Katy excels is the at intangibles. Heart, desire, hard work, TEAM, etc... that's what makes the Katy Tigers so darn special. It has been an honor getting to watch this team and I cannot wait to watch them put it all out on the field come Saturday. Where these young men excel is in the size of their hearts. They have the right attitude and desire to make this work.
Now of course you know I have to tie this in to some sort of talking point, right? Of course right. You see, the Tigers were down four months ago, but they were not out. We can take a lesson from these young men. When I think of this team I think of 2 Corinthians 4 which says:
“Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
It is written: ‘I believed; therefore I have spoken.’ With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Did you catch it friends? You see, we are going to have momentary troubles, but Jesus is interceding on our behalf. We will win. It may take a while to achieve the success we’d like to, but we will win. Let me reiterate that, we WILL win! Let God do a work in you. Like the Tigers, who were willing to reshuffle things, who were willing to go to battle for their starting positions, who never lost heart, we need to take that same attitude. God’s desire is for us to win, but to do so we must be willing to let go of pride and adopt an attitude of humility. If you don’t believe me, look no further than the 2008 Katy Tiger football team. They are winners in my book. To win you must have the right attitude. You will face troubles, but what lies ahead is greater than your suffering. Praise the Lord and go Tigers!
Many thought, myself included, that this team would make it to about the second or third round of the playoffs and then make a quiet exit. It was to be expected for a team that was rebuilding. Now we flash forward from the end of the regular season to today. Katy is now in preparation to play in their second state title game in two years and their eighth trip to the finals in fifteen years. This Tiger team has blown all expectations out of the water. The Tigers have beaten their playoff opponents with an average score of 42.8 to 8.6. So why this big turnaround? Well, this is the best description I can give you. This team has proven that we should NEVER underestimate the heart of a champion. Others may talk of talent, strength of schedule, etc... but where Katy excels is the at intangibles. Heart, desire, hard work, TEAM, etc... that's what makes the Katy Tigers so darn special. It has been an honor getting to watch this team and I cannot wait to watch them put it all out on the field come Saturday. Where these young men excel is in the size of their hearts. They have the right attitude and desire to make this work.
Now of course you know I have to tie this in to some sort of talking point, right? Of course right. You see, the Tigers were down four months ago, but they were not out. We can take a lesson from these young men. When I think of this team I think of 2 Corinthians 4 which says:
“Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
It is written: ‘I believed; therefore I have spoken.’ With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Did you catch it friends? You see, we are going to have momentary troubles, but Jesus is interceding on our behalf. We will win. It may take a while to achieve the success we’d like to, but we will win. Let me reiterate that, we WILL win! Let God do a work in you. Like the Tigers, who were willing to reshuffle things, who were willing to go to battle for their starting positions, who never lost heart, we need to take that same attitude. God’s desire is for us to win, but to do so we must be willing to let go of pride and adopt an attitude of humility. If you don’t believe me, look no further than the 2008 Katy Tiger football team. They are winners in my book. To win you must have the right attitude. You will face troubles, but what lies ahead is greater than your suffering. Praise the Lord and go Tigers!
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