LESSONS FROM THE FIELD OF PLAY

Lessons from the Field of Play.

Ever wondered what it feels like on the field and being watched by millions all over the world, with some cheering you on and others playing the devil? Scripture gives us a picture of this when it says Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

  

I was watching one of matches of the just concluded African Nations Cup, precisely the match between Nigeria and Ethiopia. While watching the match certain truths came into my heart, the Light that Knowledge brings flooded my heart. The tension of the missed opportunities and fouls did not get to me. What got me was how similar living life is to the game of football. Many watch to relax or catch fun but in all experiences we encounter, life gives us a lesson to learn. There is a definite substance in every event and occurrence.

Follow me carefully as I unravel these truths to you……

The first truth that stunned me was that it is impossible achieve or arrive at your goals in your comfort zone (in your own half of the pitch). Your goals here are a product of your vision. It is a known fact that although a vision gives you insight about the future, yet it is setting goals to achieve them that actually make them a reality. So, every goal worth scoring is never against you but for you. It requires a launching into another half of Life’s pitch.

The second is this: In a match there are always opponents, there are always contenders for the balls (potential goals) you have on your feet.

Permit me to define your intended actions as ‘balls’ and your achieved plans as ‘goals’

Thirdly, in scoring goals your head and your legs are all that is needed. When any other part of the body is used the referee blows his whistle. Mental accent and physical strength is needed here. A wise saying goes thus: People fail for two things, first is thinking without acting and secondly acting without thinking. Hence, we can say that the head and the body are needed in achieving anything worthwhile. Football players as well as fans know that goals could come from a header, and also from the boot of any player.

Your head determines the path which your feet must follow. This speaks of the place of knowledge, it’s been said that life only paves way for those who know where they are going, and the amount of what you know is what determines where you go, inotherwords your destination is a product of the level of insight acquired

There is no friendly match in life. There must of necessity be a prize in view, so we fight, wrestle compete and contend in other to apprehend. A song was had these lines: boys are not smiling, that’s typical of how the field of play is.

There would be injuries (falls) but never give up. A wisdom nugget goes thus: Quitters never win and Winners never quit. Despite the fact there that there would be setbacks in life, know this for a fact that every Setback is an opportunity for a Comeback. Imagine if Stephen Keshi gave up before the tournament was over perhaps we would have never gotten the gold medal. Never, never, never, never give up.

Opportunities do not occur the same way every time. In fact opportunities are not automatic they are consciously created which is usually as a product of strategy and teamwork. Opportunities are like tamed beasts to those who are prepared. A prepared man even created his own opportunities.

Your efficiency and effectiveness on the pitch is not gotten on the pitch but gotten in the place of preparation.

You must work with others to achieve the cause.

When you solve the problems of others they would go the extra mile for you.