One of the gutsiest play calls in Mississippi High School football history occurred on November 3, 1988 in a game between the Tishomingo Bulldogs and the Falkner Eagles. The Bulldogs led the Eagles 16-14 with just seven seconds left in the game. Not only were they leading with seven seconds to go, they had the ball on the Eagles’ 35 yard line. If all that was at stake was a win over their archrival, all the Bulldogs needed to do would be to take a knee and run out the clock. But much more was at stake.
Should they win by 4 points or more, not only would they get the win over their arch rival, they would make it into the Division 1A playoffs. The Bulldogs’ head coach Dave Herbert, who had Lou Gehrig’s disease, was seated on a flatbed truck on the sidelines contemplating what play to call. A 52 yard field goal was out of question for his kicker, and it was unlikely his offense could score in one play from 35 yards out. He knew his fans would be ecstatic to beat their rival, but he wanted more for his team and their fans. He wanted his team to make the playoffs. When he called the play and it was relayed to the huddle, it caused so much confusion in the Bulldogs’ huddle that the offense was assessed two delay of game penalties. When finally the offense ran the play, it became obvious why all the confusion. Once the running back received the pitch-out from the quarterback, he ran the wrong way all the way to his own end zone as time ran out. Once a two-point safety was assessed against the Bulldogs, the score was now 16-16, forcing the game into overtime. The Bulldogs went on to win the game 22-16, sealing for themselves not only a win over their rivals and a place in the playoffs, but also a place in Mississippi high school football lore.1
What coach Herbert asked of his players with seven seconds left in that game was for them to trust him when it made no sense to do so. He asked them to put their faith in his faith in them …his faith that should the game go into overtime, they would win the game by four points or more and make the playoffs. He asked them to put their faith in his commitment to lead them to achieve a greater outcome than they were willing to attain for themselves. And because the players ultimately believed in their coach as much as he believed in them, they ran the “backwards” play and his hope for them became reality.
For those who take their relationship with God seriously, often they find themselves in a similar situation. God, out of His desire to put His followers in position to be far more than they are willing to be on their own, will call a “play” for them that makes absolutely no sense. Just like Coach Herbert had higher aspirations for his players and asked them to have faith in his faith in them, God has high aspirations for His followers and asks them to have faith in His faith in them. What are those higher aspirations? He wants to conform them into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 8:28-29). He wants them to love Him with all their hearts, all their souls, and all their minds…and to love their neighbors as themselves (Matthew 22:37-39). For that reason He calls “plays” in their lives that make no sense, but will put them in position to win in life. For example:
- While the world screams look out for number one, God says it’s better to give than to receive.
- When every fiber in one’s being demands revenge for the hurt another has done, God says to forgive as he has been forgiven.
- When the natural thing to do would be to take an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, God says to turn the other cheek.
- When one’s spirit says the way to handle life’s trials and adversities is to worry and fret, God’s Spirit says to put our trust in Him for the peace and provision that we need.
- When the relief of duty done says the job is through, God says to walk the extra mile.
- When one’s inclination is to promote oneself, God says that the first shall be last and the last shall be first.
When God calls a play in your life that makes no sense and you think if you run it you will lose, heed this truth from Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (NASB)
1 Playing For Overtime, Al Ainsworth, 2019, p.194
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