The Underdog Wins Again

March 12, 2008

By Paul Veliquette

It was not supposed to happen! The New England Patriots were on an amazing streak, 18-0. All of the stats and the hype leading up to this year’s Super Bowl were heavily on their side. The New York Giants were a lowly wild card entry without a chance. Giants quarterback Eli Manning was streaky at best.

Glenda and I tend to cheer for the underdog. There is something about a team coming through in the big moment when the pressure is on, when no one believes they can do it! We had stocked up on snacks and settled in our little trailer on the farm to strain at our 9-inch TV. We munched and cheered and hung on to the hope the Giants would pull off the upset. The Patriots’ final touchdown with only 2 minutes and 42 seconds left in the game deflated our hopes. Brady had come through once again.

The moment of the game came when Eli Manning seemed trapped in the backfield; it appeared inevitable he would go down in a sack, and with it all hope. Somehow he escaped, wheeled to his left, and lofted a pass to David Tyree, who in a superhuman effort outfought Rodney Harrison to complete the 32-yard pass. They are already calling this moment “The Great Escape.” It takes its place with “The Holy Roller,” “The Immaculate Reception” and “The Catch.”

As the final pass of the drive floated into the end zone to be hauled in by Plaxico Burress, joy, excitement and exhilaration came spontaneously. The underdogs had done it again! WOW! I nearly bumped my head on the low ceiling of our Prowler trailer in expressing my joy. Of course, the little negative voice whispered, “It’s only a game.” SO WHAT! It was a moment of great joy.

It reminded me of the host of stories in the Bible about underdogs, people who were powerless, insignificant, but key characters in moments of great victory. We often find ourselves underdogs in life — unemployed or underemployed, living with deep relational discord, crushed under financial burdens or ongoing medical issues, wondering how to deal with our children or our depression or our overwhelming anxiety.

The good news is that being an underdog does not dictate failure. Underdog + God = success. In Matthew 19:26 Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (NIV). That is the formula — without God, failure; with God, success.

When you face the impossible, when there are giants in the land, when no one sees you coming through, TRUST God. Let Him pull you through to an upset victory that defies all the odds.

— Paul Veliquette is pastor of Windsor (Colo.) Assembly of God.