The fantasy football draft is quite the experience. I have seen fantasy football owners with NFL magazines highlighted with notes next to their laptops, and they probably have a few internet pages open of statistical information.
I once had a friend at the draft call another person for their opinion on what player he ought to select. One of my favorite parts of the draft is when a fantasy owner makes a selection, and everyone else says, “Good pick, that’s an excellent pick!”
Every year, I am astounded by the study fantasy football owners put into knowing players, statistics, and projections. Often, fantasy football owners begin studying weeks and days before the draft starts. I remember being in college and thinking, “If that person studied their coursework the way they study fantasy football, they would probably be a 4.0 student.”
There is something Christians can learn from fantasy football owners. Like fantasy football owners who know nearly everything about NFL players, Christians should know the pivotal players who spread the good news about Jesus Christ. These crucial players are the Apostles, saints, and martyrs.
One of the most powerful stories in scripture is told at the end of Matthew’s Gospel. Following Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection, the eleven disciples meet Jesus on a mountain at Galilee. Jesus commands the disciples to go teach and baptize all nations. However, just before Jesus gave this commission, the disciples worshipped and doubted when they saw Jesus. This is a critical detail that must be looked at further.
The disciples' experience is similar to many of us today. The authentic dynamic of worshiping and doubting ourselves due to fears, struggles, anxieties, and challenges is the same. The first disciples doubted: that is what Matthew tells us in the Gospel. However, as the Apostle John wrote, “perfect love casts out fear,” and “we love because He first loved us.”
The early disciples trusted in Jesus amidst the many challenges, ultimately giving them courage.
Like fantasy football owners who know nearly everything about NFL players, Christians should also strive to understand the pivotal players of the faith. These crucial players initially doubted, just like many of us. However, by the grace of God, they were filled with courage to teach all nations.
Fr. Luke Daghir