Underdogs

Laptop literally sitting on lap, I'm watching game five of the 2007 NBA playoffs featuring the Dallas Mavericks playing against the Golden State Warriors. With 8 minutes left, the score is tied 97-97 in what could be the last game of the season for the Mavs. What has made this series so amazing to watch is the alleged "distance" between these two teams. The Mavs are the #1 seed in the bracket having the best regular season record in franchise history, the Warriors are the #8 seed who made the playoffs on the last night of the regular season. Never before has a #1 seed lost a series to the #8 seed in the NBA playoffs history. It could happen tonight. At this second, the Warriors are now up by two points.

There is the usual Hollywood-type drama in tonight's game... former Mavs coach (Don Nelson) now facing his former assistant coach Avery Johnson. A list of well known Mav players facing a roster of relatively "unknown" Warrior players. A team that hasn't won a playoff series since something like the 1960's (the Warriors) going up against the team that only lost in the NBA finals last season (Dallas Mavericks). All that drama is there, of course. Warriors are now up by six points with less than four minutes remaining. It is getting tense and I'm tempted to just close the lid on this laptop.

What I realize watching the seconds peel off the clock is that I am the Golden State Warriors -- we all are really -- we are all "underdogs."

I love rooting for the underdog, though because of my current residency and having so many die-hard Maverick fans for friends, I'm inclined to want to see them win (though I quietly really pull for the Phoenix Suns). However, it is not unusual for me to root for the underdog in sporting events where I have no vested emotional interest because I relate to the underdog.

In the faith journey of all Christians, we have to see ourselves as the underdog. Considering our addictive tendency toward sin, our perpetual penchant to do the very thing we don't want to do and not do the very thing we ought to do (see what Paul has to say about it in Romans 7) we have to see that left to ourselves alone we are underdogs. We have no business shooting "lights out" in what is the most amazing "game" of history. But that is the difference Jesus makes. He is Light shining in the darkness where darkness should be winning!

Favorite and underdog, together, Jesus Christ gives the believer in Him the victory.

Do you know what the score is? No matter what the score board may say, Christ keeps his people in the game and we live to play again.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
John 16:33