PopWarner and Movement Realities

For the last few weeks I have been an assistant to the assistant coach for a PopWarner football team. It is hot, fun and hysterical - and the boys love it. As soon as they figured out how to hit, many of them became wild men.

One kid stands out. Calvin weighs about 75 lbs - shoes, pads and helmet (average weight for the team is around 90). He has good speed and pretty good instincts, but above all else he is tenacious.

Tuesday he was playing linebacker and giving up 20 pounds to the kid blocking him. We ran a little sweep and Calvin dodged the block and made a hit that made the faint of heart look away. It was a sight to behold.

We also have a kid named Baxter. Baxter is a talented kid who is a coach favorite (he is the coaches kid), but he lacks the fire in his gut. The same day Calvin made the big stick, Baxter was playing nose guard - after two plays he wanted to be free safety. He was tired of getting hit.

For me, the Calvin / Baxter dilemma is a principle in kingdom growth. It appears Jesus selected on tenacity, drive and a can do attitude. He honored men of potential big faith (lack of faith is what he chastised them for the most). Theology, Talent, Ability, Education, Speaking, Bible Knowledge, and Strategery (as well many other things) were secondary - or not even mentioned.

The gospel moving ahead is built upon God acting through the right people in the right place. Find the right people and we are well on our way to incredible results. Training (although good and needed) can never compensate for finding the right people - simply put, the right person finds the training they need.

Development plays a role, but finding/surfacing plays an even bigger role. Of course, we are not going to find people in perfect condition (I am surely not there!), but men and women with a desire to change the world can be developed in extraordinary ways. They are movable and moldable and that makes all the difference.

This is why Jesus selected 12 out of many. He brought them aside and said, "Gentleman, lets change the world." And they did.