The Super Bowl is coming up this Sunday–the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Philadelphia Eagles. If Kansas City wins it will be the first time a team has won three Super Bowls in a row.
My wife, Alice, has a Chiefs jersey and she got Chiefs outfits for the grandkids. Kansas City has long been our favorite team.
The reason for this is that we lived in Kansas City from 1988-1991 while I was in seminary. Plus, our firstborn child was born in that city.
There are other things about them that I like that goes beyond sentimentality. Coach Reid seems like a humble, unassuming guy. Patrick Mahomes seems to handle his wealth and fame better, in my view, than almost anyone.
Why am I writing about football when this blog is supposed to be about theological and societal issues?
It is because the Chiefs’ situation got me to thinking about some bigger themes.
One is perseverance.
There were times when the Chiefs weren’t doing so good.
When we lived in Kansas City, the Chiefs were overshadowed by the city’s other pro team, the baseball team–the K.C. Royals. The Royals were doing great. The Chiefs…not so much. Back then they had a promotional slogan in their advertising: Hard Hitting Good Times: The Kansas City Chiefs. But I remember seeing a billboard: Soft Hitting Bad Times: The Kansas City Chumps. Disgruntled fans can be unforgiving.
But how far they have come! Now, through diligence and hard work, they are poised to make history.
I once read the story of another NFL team that persevered: The Green Bay Packers. They had a great start, having won the first two Super Bowls ever played. But then they went downhill. At one point things were so bad there was talk of selling the franchise and using the money to build an A-One, top of the line, university team. But some fans objected. The article characterized their feelings as Esau selling his birthright. Of course, they didn’t sell the franchise, and the Packers eventually came back, even to win another Super Bowl.
Esau selling his birthright (from Genesis 25:29-34) speaks of giving up something of great value in exchange for temporary gain. It is giving up the long term good to get some immediate benefit.
But the Packers and the Chiefs persevered.
I can hear Winston Churchill’s words, “We will never give up.” If our cause is worthy; we should hold out, no matter the pain.
There’s plenty of opportunity for a Christian to practice perseverance in this fallen world. We will be given many opportunities to give up. Some might think the being a Christian means always being blessed with ease and prosperity; they get dismayed when trouble comes. We need to persevere. We must keep our eyes on the big picture.
The other issue is praise.
There are a number of people in the Chiefs organization that give praise to God.
Recently, Tavia Hunt, wife of the Chiefs owner, Clark Hunt, wrote on Facebook: “Overwhelmed. That’s the word that comes to mind when we reflect on the lavish grace, favor, and faithfulness of God. I’ve said it before: I don’t think God cares about football, but He cares deeply about people. In 2012, we were broken—winning only 2 games and facing an unimaginable tragedy. It was a humbling, desperate season, and we had nowhere to turn but to God. That brokenness brought us to total dependence on the One who holds it all. We began praying 1 Chronicles 4:10 and committing the team to the Lord. Shortly after, Clark hired Andy Reid, and God brought the Reids to Kansas City at just the right time…By God’s grace we’ve had success…”
Hard work, getting the right people, but also giving credit to God.
Here is this rich woman including God in the reasons for the team’s success. It’s a beautiful thing when a rich person gives praise to God. And others on the team like Patrick Mahomes and Harrison Butker give praise to God [I know that there are others on the team, and on other teams, who do the same].
But the rich are often silent when it comes to giving God praise for their blessings. The increase of money and success should make people more grateful to God, but riches and success can make us blind; make us selfish. Ironic and wrong, but true. Jesus spoke of the “deceitfulness of wealth” (Matthew 13:22). Wealth can lie to you; it can make you feel like you don’t need God.
Sometimes success makes people fall. They became overconfident and arrogant and think the rules didn’t apply to them anymore.
But it’s a great thing to see the “deceifulness of wealth” resisted. When I was a pastor, I had the privilege of ministering to an elderly couple who handled their success in the right way. They were quite wealthy, but very humble. When the man was dying his only concern was being covered by the blood of Jesus. He got it right.
So, while I have a sentimental attachment to the K.C. Chiefs, and like many things about them, what I like best is their attitude. They seem to handle their success well.