About 7-8 years ago, I remember listening to Chuck and Jon on the morning show at KTIS. They often played a song during football season "When a Vikings and a Packers fan fall in love" or something to that effect. I thought, That's a funny thing to sing about. Is that really a big deal?
Of course, as the way life goes, I - a Vikings fan - wound up marrying an avid Packers fan a few years later.
Funny how that works!
Two things have worked in our benefit. First, Erik is a Favre fan. He enjoys watching him play the game, so he's actually eased over to cheering for the Vikings - when they aren't playing Green Bay. Secondly, I like the idea of cheering for the team my husband likes and, as a result, I have grown to like the Packers as a team and the players on the team.
All that to say, this football marriage works nicely as we've both come to cheer on the other's team. Plus, one of our teams just won the Super Bowl!!!! (This was my first time watching a Super Bowl where I actually was a fan of one of the teams and really wanted one to win... insert Vikings comment here if you want - I will still remain a fan!)
I could write plenty of stories about the adversity the Packers overcame to win it all, the leaders on the team, the way the team members stepped up to support one another as they dealt with a lot of injured players, or the confidence they had approaching the season and the Super Bowl. All of them contain good lessons we can learn from as Christians.
What I do want to point out is something a reporter said about Aaron Rodgers. Erik's told me that Rodgers is a Christian. From the way he's handling everything and the fact that one of the people who coached him on the Super Bowl was Kurt Warner... I would guess that's a reality. This statement in an article caught my eye and confirmed those suspicions.
"...Did I mention that Pittsburgh has the best defense in football? Still, Sunday saw Rodgers join Kurt Warner as only the second quarterback to throw for 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns in a single postseason.
"And like Warner, Rodgers can do religion without being preachy.
“I don’t think He really cares who wins or loses,” Rodgers said."
(Click here for the full article.)
You know what I love about that? That Warner and Rodgers are in a class of their own and that "Rodgers [and Warner] can do religion without being preachy." The author recognizes that both are Christians, but people around them aren't put off by it. That's huge. Altogether too many Christians are preachy in their religion--and even in their lifestyles--to the point where no one wants to be around them.
I like the example that Rodgers and Warner provide for us as Christians in a very secular arena. In fact, Rodgers even said in his Letterman interview (which I saw on YouTube), that his type of leadership is to "lead by example."
I'd venture to guess there are more Christians on the Packers team. I think that's an extra reason why I'm happy with them winning this year. Kudos to them on a great year and here's to hoping for another great season. :-)
By the way, if you want to know my thoughts on Kurt Warner living as a Christian in a secular world, here's one of my blog posts from last fall. Enjoy!
Oh and thank you again to Aaron Rodgers, Kurt Warner, and other Christians who are going their best to live for Jesus in the middle of the public spotlight. You are making an impact in this world.
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