I do a radio program on KOXE every Sunday morning called “Christians in the World of Sports”. An interesting story came to my attention a couple of weeks ago. It was a story about what I would consider a ‘real’ hero. We usually share about good to great athletes and their faith. In all of my time doing that program, I can’t tell you how much I enjoy it because it gives a Christian perspective of some terrific athletes, great major league players, college players, and coaches who are Christians. These are really good people. I admire them greatly but I don’t consider them heroic by any stretch.
The first one that I ever shared that I would consider to be a hero was a man named Pat Tillman. At the time he played he was one of the best safeties in the NFL. He played for the Arizona Cardinals. After the terrible events surrounding 911 many years ago, Pat Tillman retired from football. He said, “I’ve got something in front of me that’s a lot more important than football. I need to go to work for my country”. So, he went into the military. He joined the Army and qualified for Ranger school. After completion he was sent overseas to fight. He never came back. What I’m telling you is that he gave his life for his country. In doing so he gave up a career that would have afforded him many, many millions of dollars. Pat Tillman is a real hero!
I found a new hero the other day. His name is Khari Willis and he announced his retirement from the NFL at age 24. He was a 2019 fourth round pick out of Michigan State. Here’s the way his retirement statement read:
“I’d first like to thank the Indianapolis Colts for granting me the opportunity to compete in the National Football League the past three years. I’ve built life-long relationships with numerous teammates, coaches, and support staff that have impacted me greatly. The lessons that I’ve learned in this phase of my life will be valuable for me in the next chapter”.
He goes on to say, “ With much prayer and deliberation I have elected to officially retire from the NFL as I endeavor to devote the remainder of my life to the further advancement of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I thank all of my family, friends, and those who have supported me on this journey thus far and I look forward to your continued support through the next phase of my life. I am both humbled and excited to pursue the holy call that God has for my life which brings me much joy and purpose. Thank you all for your support over the years”.
Again, this is a guy three years into his career as a safety for the Indianapolis Colts. He was about to be given a brand new three year contract worth millions of dollars, but he has given it all up because he felt the call of the Lord on his life. Instead of saying, “Wait until I make a whole lot more money” or “This just isn’t the right time because I’ve got so much more football in front of me”, he surrendered to the call of the Lord and is dedicating the rest of his life to spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. I’m telling you, that’s a hero!
If anybody ever talks to you about heroes in the world of sports, you can talk about a bunch of guys, and they are heroic in their athletic achievements, but when you’re talking about real heroes, and examples you want to point to, I now have a grand total of two that I would suggest, Pat Tillman and Khari Willis.
Until next time, so long everybody.
***
‘Out of the Box’ with Dallas Huston is published each Monday morning at BrownwoodNews.com. Dallas was the radio voice of the Brownwood Lions and Howard Payne Yellow Jackets for more than 55 years. He currently is Pastor of Center City Baptist Church and hosts a Men’s Bible Study in Brownwood on Monday evenings. Your comments are welcome at [email protected].