CHECK OUT YOUR MOVIE LIST AND LEARN
Do your DVR recordings or your Netflix views reflect things that are most important to you? I was looking at the movies that I have recorded within the past year to make more room for new recordings and I noticed something about myself. Here is a personality profile for you. Maybe you can complete one on yourself?
I have recorded, retained, and re-watched (multiple times) the following movies; Miracle, Rudy, Hoosiers, Invincible, Blindside, Secretariat, Sea Biscuit, Chariots of Fire, 42, The Greatest Game Ever Played, Remember the Titans, Moneyball, Glory Road, The Natural, and The Rookie. Yes, these are all jock movies, but there are more on my repeat list. I have also power watched Braveheart, Lincoln, Sound of Music, Hidden Figures, Lion, and many others. Is it safe to say that I like underdogs? If you look closely at what you watch, you too will discover something unique about yourself. I like underdogs because I am an underdog. I no longer watch the movies in their entirety but I certainly watch the key scenes like the boxing matches, basketball games, horse races, or golf matches.
At the age of 14, I walked out of the Del Mercado movie theatre in Silver Springs, Maryland a changed boy. The music and the story of Rocky Balboa had been imprinted on my being and my motivation in life began to take hold. Many people make fun of Rocky, but be not mistaken, it won the Oscar for Best Picture of 1977. The story, as you know, was about an underdog, but it was written by Sylvester Stallone, a man who was out of work and financially broke. For years, I followed Rocky and watched him grow throughout the Rocky franchise. On many occasions, on the sofa or in a recliner, my upper body would duck jabs and cover up as I watched those fight scenes.
I have accomplished some pretty special things in life as an underdog, but eventually I met Christ and my need to prove something to be valuable went by the wayside. But we all need motivation. We need to know that despite the fact that we sometimes lack ability, we can overcome with hustle, aggressiveness, determination, and exhaustive repetitive training. Sometimes, ridiculous things happen because of a
Rocky-esque determination. For instance, I played Division 1 college basketball everyday with NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins. Dominique, “the human highlight film”, could jump out of the gym. I, on the other hand, sometimes tripped over the painted lines on the court. Underdogs matter because they have to compensate with more heart than ability. As I look at my DVR watch list, I can honestly say that I am not reliving a past identity based on some perceived but now extinct athleticism.
I now see potential in people that they at times do not see in themselves. I see people who don’t need Rocky or Rudy for escapism, but people who have Christ and can accomplish great and mighty things. Hollywood provided me with a way to see something as possible when things looked impossible. Then Christ came along. Christ is possibility. What do you want to do with your life? You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. What do you want to do to help others? Train hard, exhaust all avenues, and help others. “Run the race” as Paul says. Get motivated to achieve something for the glory of God. In Christ, underdogs are victors. You have a divine call on your life to love and serve and use your giftedness. There is a unique mantle upon you to move in the grace and power of God; humbly seize it. You may feel like an underdog and not really be one. You may actually be an underdog, but that’s ok, you can overcome. I want to encourage you to call on God and converse with Him concerning your underdog status. His response may be something like… “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” (Jer. 33:3)
-Dr. Gary Hewins,
Lifepoints.life
