Rugby World Cup 2011

October 23, 2011

            Today is the 2011 Rugby World Cup Final. The New Zealand All Blacks play France for the coveted Webb Ellis Cup. I’m excited. I haven’t written in a few days and the anticipation of watching the match is almost too much for writing about what’s been going on over the last few days.

            NBC coverage has been very limited of one of the World’s premier sporting events. Fortunately, they are covering today’s match. I didn’t have all my ducks in a row because I’m watching the pre-game coverage. I believed that kickoff was at 2pm; scratch that one!

            I’ve often wondered what it would be like to play at that level of competition. The world stage must be surreal to some degree. I can only imagine all those eyes staring at you, all those expectations knowingly placed on your shoulders, all those dreams and desires lived vicariously through you … intense to say the least.

National Anthems are being sung. France looks intense. New Zealand challenges. Posturing with the Haka, the Maori war chant has become an international phenomenon. The challenge has become an expected part of the All Black game … and I love it!!!

The first score – by the All Blacks – belongs to Tony Woodcock, the Loose Head Prop.  Traditionally, the props are the big boys. Only the Second Rows might be bigger and that’s simply because of height. Props and Second Rows aren’t the glamour boys. Like American football linemen, they make things happen so that all the other guys can get the headlines.

Halftime and the score is All Blacks 5 France 0. It has been a good game but things just haven’t completely clicked for either team. New Zealand has the advantage in my mind at this point. We’ll see what happens in the next 40 minutes.

Speaking of making things click, I was moved to consider this thought today while I was at church: what could God do through us if we didn’t argue with one another? Granted, I was thinking about Amanda and me but it could translate to everyone else out there – even to a global extent.

What I’m talking about are the little things … the things that keep us from “clicking.” You know the ones: I say the sky is blue and you might say, “Yeah but there are clouds in the sky.” Or maybe your wife says, “Does my hair look like I slept in it?” And you’re stupid enough to say, “Baby. You did sleep in it.” Those are the little things that when they are said nonchalantly they become the movement big enough to start an avalanche.

What if we watched what we said? What if we worked harder to click more often? What if we got our heads in the game, kept our heads in the game, and allowed God to speak through us in a way that builds others up so that we played the game more effectively? Imagine how we could change the world if we didn’t argue? Don’t sweat the small stuff … and it’s all small stuff, right?

Go All Blacks!!!!!