I am a college football fan. Specifically, I am an Alabama Crimson Tide football fan. You are reading this the day after Alabama will have played Clemson for the national championship. That was also the last college football game to be played in 8 ½ months…sigh. There are many storied names among the Tide players. Some of those you may know. Names like Bart Starr, Joe Namath, Derrick Henry, Julio Jones, Tommy Lewis…
Tommy Lewis??? Who is THAT?
Tommy Lewis is known for one play that occurred during the 1954 Cotton Bowl game pitting Bama against the Rice Owls. The Tide pinned the Owls back on their own 5 yard line. Rice handed the ball to their talented running back Dicky Maegle who broke through the Alabama defense and was on his way to a 95 yard touchdown. However, as Maegle neared the Alabama sideline Tommy Lewis (who wasn’t in the game at the time) jumped off the bench and tackled him. It was an illegal play and the referees awarded Rice a touchdown.
When Lewis was asked why he had jumped off the sideline to make an illegal tackle he said, “I guess I’m just too full of Alabama. He just ran too close.” I love that enthusiasm! Perhaps it showed itself in an inappropriate fashion but it was an act born out of passion and commitment to the university he loved. When the game was on and his beloved team was on the field, Tommy Lewis just could not be a spectator.
I thought about Tommy Lewis as I read again I Corinthians 12:12-26 the scriptural foundation for this year’s theme of “Many parts…one body.” This passage reminds us that when it comes to the great work of the kingdom we aren’t made to be spectators either.
Paul speaks of one body made up of many parts but each part playing a vital role in the work of the body as a whole. Each part has value, purpose, and is equally needed as the next. Only when each part does what it is designed to do is the body truly able to function properly. When any one of us declines the role that God has equipped and created us for then we all suffer.
I have been on my faith journey long enough to have a good idea of my role in the kingdom. I hope you do also or are coming to know it during your time at Point. As we begin a new semester let us desire to serve our kingdom purpose with the same passion and commitment as Tommy Lewis did when he made that tackle. Let us be so full of Christ that when it comes to kingdom work we aren’t spectators but passionate participants.
-Darryl Harrison Ed.D, Chief Academic Officer and Vice President for Adult and Professional Studies
Pray that the spirit of Christ will fill and equip each student, faculty, and staff member to serve their kingdom purpose with passion.
