“The greatest among you will be your servant.” – Matthew 23:11
Football season has arrived. For fans of the sport, it has been a long time since we last watched a game. I am excited that football has returned. Just because we have not seen our favorite players on the field lately does not mean they have not been busy. Football is a year-round sport. They are constantly in the gym, working on speed, agility, and strength. To win at the game of football, you must sacrifice, you have to work hard.
Many players do far more than just work in the gym during the off-season. Many of them work at even more important aspects of life. They give of their time, the money, and their fame to help make the lives of others better. Leonard Fournette is one example of a football superstar who uses the off-season to help people in need. In high school, Leonard Fournette was named the USA Today High School Football Offensive Player of the Year. He would play for LSU in college. While at LSU, he was named an All-American and set the school’s single-season rushing record. He would be drafted 4th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He would eventually play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he would become a Super Bowl champion.
Leonard Fournette knows what it takes to be successful on the field. He also knows that he has the ability to make others successful, on and off the field. That is why he spent part of this last summer at camp. Camp Simcha is a camp for children who are dealing with cancer, disabilities, and chronic medical conditions. This beautiful camp is in Glen Spey, New York. It is in the Catskills, a beautiful retreat for children who have so many struggles in their everyday life.
The children knew they would have a special guest arrive at camp. They gathered around and watched as a helicopter arrived and out jumped the football legend. Fournette spent time with each child, teaching them the game he loves. That night, he hosted a party for the children and the staff. Fournette would tell them, “You are the real champs.”
It takes a lot of effort to become a champion. To win at the game of football takes hard work and sacrifice. To help others win takes great effort, as well. However, when we give so that others may win, there is a joy we find that is much greater than any trophy one can earn on the football field. Leonard Fournette said it himself, “This is the greatest thing I’ve done thus far.” When we help others succeed, we all win.
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
