When You're Down, You're Not Out

As a New England Patriots fan it is no secret what I was doing at 6:30 pm on Sunday, February 5th. Needless to say I was in disbelief and shocked at what was the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history. If for some reason you are not a football fan, or have been living under a rock for the past few days, simply google some highlights of the game, then continue reading this article.

I could write a dissertation on my admiration, and, frankly, biased fandom of Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and this dynasty that has spanned 15+ years and shows no sign of slowing down. But, this isn’t about my personal feelings about the team. If you’re not a fan, or even a fan of football at all, I still believe you can draw great meaning from this particular game through the lens of our faith.

The Patriots went down 28-3 in the 3rd quarter. From that point until about 6 minutes in regulation (not including overtime), their chance of winning was pinned between 0.1%-1% according to advanced metrics. In other words, the Falcons had a 99% chance to win the game for most of the second half. Think about that. What if someone told you that you had a 99% chance at winning the lottery, would you play that ticket? I’d bet you would.

Or, to look at it from the Patriots’ perspective, what if you were told you only have a 1% chance of surviving a terminal illness? Would you simply pack it in, give up, and accept your situation? This would seemingly be the smart idea, both psychologically and spiritually. But, this was not so on Super Bowl Sunday.

I am sure all of us have had at least one situation where the odds have been against us. The stakes aren’t always the same - some are battling for their lives, others are going for that big job promotion that seems impossible to land. Scripture is filled with such down-and-out stories: David vs. Goliath, The Old Testament Joseph’s rise from slave to Pharaoh’s right hand man, and Jonah in the belly of the whale, to name a few. What are we to make of these?

I’d suggest that the events of the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history reflect this one simple scriptural message of such biblical stories: hope. Star wide receiver Julian Edelman was mic’d up and quoted saying to his teammates during the comeback: “Ya gotta believe!” Yes, Julian, if you have hope, ya gotta believe. Hope is the theological virtue of the desire for something and expectation of receiving it. It is a manifestation of the will, not our passions. Meaning, when you’re down 25 points, you will yourself to believe that you will win the game, and even expect it will happen! 

Personally, I have had situations in my life that have called for great hope. I can witness to what real hope feels like. And it isn’t glorious - it takes great trust, patience and submission to God’s will. But, when you rest in true hope there can be a great peace and confidence that goes beyond words can describe. 

Are there situations in your life that call for great hope? I invite you to read the “down-and-out” stories of scripture to help you find that hope. And, as a real life example, the events of Sunday, Feb 5th, 2017 illustrate to us what a little bit of hope can turn into - from absolute despair to champion. When you’re down, you’re not out.