Brett Favre and the church

If you are a football fan then you are starting to salivate since the preseason practice begins in the next week. . . go BEARS! Now they need our prayers.

Brett Favre the great quarterback for the Green Bay Packers retired after last season, and now he wants to play again, and needs the Packers to resign him, in order to be eligible to play again, then they need to do something with him. That is, play him, trade him or sit him on the bench. Remember, Green Bay has already committed to start a quarterback they drafted 4 years ago. I wonder how this guy, Aaron Rodgers feels about all this. He's kept quiet. It is an interesting story because of the intense emotions. Let me give you a couple of thoughts . . .

Favre retired, he had an amazing career. As a life long Bears fan, I intensely disliked it when he played against the Bears. Yet I marveled at his playmaking ability and excitement for the game. I heard a reporter say he received a voice mail from Favre after he retired saying he was not forced to retire, it was his decision, but now Favre is saying he was forced to retire. Something is not fully correct here! What should the Packers do?

Favre has one, maybe two good years left, and has been brutally critical of management in the last weeks; and two years ago he stunk. Last year was a surprise year for the Packers, but I don't think he can repeat that magic. So, do you keep what was old, but good, even great; or do you move forward into the future which is unknown and go with a new quarterback? That seems to be the struggle for the universal church . . . do we look to the future and grab at new opportunities God gives us, or do we stick with something which has worked, but will no longer bring us to the promised land? I don't believe Favre has the team or ability to lead the Packers to the Super Bowl.

There are hard decisions to make, sometimes I see selfishness in Favre, making this all about him. Do we do that in the church as well? Do we make church about us, about our likes and dislikes, or about the greater mission of serving Christ? I see Favre trying to hold the Packers hostage, sometimes we hear about church folk holding the church hostage by not giving or serving. I also have seen a great enthusiasm and passion for the game, which you don't see from many professional athletes, do we as a church (individually and corporately) have that same passion and excitement for serving Christ?

I believe the Packers will sign him and trade him and move into the future. They may stink this year, but they are building for the future, and that for most sports teams is painful, but I give the management credit for sticking to their guns, thus far.

When you think about yourself and your faith, your role in the church, what will you do, what will you be for Jesus?