Letterman Jacket - Sept 2002

I remember when I first went to college. College was a new world for me, lots of new and exciting things to see and experience. High school had been a good time for me, but I never felt that I had a normal high school experience. I attended a high school that was not good in our most visible athletics (football and boy’s basketball). We were very good at other sports (boy’s baseball, girl’s softball, volleyball and track), but few inside or outside of our school ever seemed to noticed that.

Our football team was so bad that most students did not go to the game. They would just save the cost of a ticket, and go straight to the local pizza buffet to hang out. Eventually the team, cheerleaders, and band would arrive. Generally, it was more of a social event then a celebration of athletic achievements.

Even with athletics not being a source of pride at my school, people that earned athletic letters wore their letter jackets. They were proud to be members of a team, weather it was a scoreboard success or not. The jacket made them members of a team, even if it did little to gain them additional respect from other students.

Even while I was in high school, I realized that my experience were very different then most. At most schools lettermen/women are respected and even honored. When I was out in the community I would see athletes from other schools. They seemed to carry themselves differently. Other teenagers at the local malls, or at high school hangouts seemed to give them a bit more room. The jacket wearers, and their close companions, had a swagger, they were confident, and it appeared as if they were in control of their world.

Their jacket was a badge of success. It showed membership to a select group. That is a powerful thing. We are all social beings, and we all love to feel included in a group. In high school it may have been the football team, the debate team, the key club, the National Honors Society, the chess club, 4H, FFA, or FCA. Today it is the right country club, a certain professional organization, a specific hobby group, or maybe even the right church. We like the world to know that we have earned a spot in a select group within our chosen interests. Our club, sport, or organization jacket, shirt, hat, bag or pin shows the world that we belong to something.

I remember after I left high school and went to college the world was different for the letter jacket wearers. The first few weeks at college, I noticed several people in their high school jackets. A large portion of them seemed to be from smaller schools in nearby rural areas. I have no way of knowing, but I would assume that at their schools their jackets had made given them some status. However, the pervious stares of respect were now replaced by ones of amusement at their lack of understanding, naivety and immaturity.

College was and is a new world. The things of high school are not longer important. Your respect and honor among other students and faculty is based on your accomplishments in college. Those that are still looking to their high school successes to earn respect are not seen as fully mature. They are still teenagers in a world of young adults.

Accepting Christ is like leaving high school and going to college. The world is new and different. The things that use to get you respect and honor now look less respectful and less honorable. Becoming a Christian is about putting away the things of old and becoming a new person. The maturing Christian is not powered by the ego of peer respect, but by the power of God looking into their lives and guiding their path. Your life is now about becoming what you are called too by God, and is not about becoming the person that is popular due to their personal achievements.

People that accept Christ, but continue to live in their old sinful lives are never mature Christians. People that are really living for God, i.e. made a full change to following God, look at them with amazement and wonder why these people do not understand they are now members of a new world, and have a new life. In addition, it is a life that they are not fully enjoying. These people are between two worlds that can not co-exist. A person must be either for God and His ways or against Him, as one is either in college or they are not. God calls us to decide and then follow our decision.

The great thing about God is that He is like a college with open enrollment. Anytime we change our mind and realize the mistake of ignoring Him, He is there to take us back. He is there to fully enroll us in our new lives, with new goals and a better future. The key is that we must realize our mistake and come to Him. Many times people are kept from their new and better lives due to pride and excuses. The truth is God is there, and He is ready to take us back anytime. He does not want us to just live for Him via our personal actions, but to thrive in Him via His actions through us.

Another interesting parallel between the change from high school to college and the change from being lost to becoming a Christian is that we are no longer members of our old groups or our old clubs. We are now members a new and greater group. One that is completely team focused and needs each of us to thrive. God does not call us to leave the things of old without the promise of replacing our old lives with new and better ones.

In Christ, our membership is not shown by what we wear on the outside, but is shown by our heart and how we live our lives. He takes our dirty, worn previous life and replaces it with a perfect, new life that is spotless and clean. We are now clothed in His glory and righteousness, and not in the pride and selfishness of our actions.

Today, it is great that God loves me and is actively guiding my life. His death for my sins allows me to live fully in a new world of salvation. He allows me to have a bright future. I am not longer restrained by a life of success determined by physical prowess, intellectual achievements, academic awards, professional accreditations and organizational memberships. Now I am judged as a success by my membership in the body of Christ.

There are many times I fail, and many times that God has to carry me, but I know that He loves me and that He is actively working to make me a success. Like a coach in a sport, God wants me to succeed, He wants me to be better, He wants me to thrive. He expects a lot of me because He has given me a lot, but if I try He is always there and is always working for my benefit, even when I do not understand why. He gave me a letter jacket on His team the moment I prayed for salvation, and told me that I was a starter before the first time I ever walked on to the field of spiritual battle. He does not ask me to win every battle to keep the jacket and stay on the team, all I have to do is give Him my best and He will make it a victory.

- a early 30's success story

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	I remember when I first went to college. College was a new world for me, lots of new and exciting things to see and experience. High school had been a good time for me, but I never felt that I had a normal high school experience. I attended a high school that was not good in our most visible athletics (football and boy’s basketball). We were very good at other sports (boy’s baseball, girl’s softball, volleyball and track), but few inside or outside of our school ever seemed to noticed that. Our football team was so bad that most students did not go to the game. They would just save the cost of a ticket, and go straight to the local pizza buffet to hang out. Eventually the team, cheerleaders, and band would arrive. Generally, it was more of a social event then a celebration of athletic achievements. Even with athletics not being a source of pride at my school, people that earned athletic letters wore their letter jackets. They were proud to be members of a team, weather it was a scoreboard success or not. The jacket made them members of a team, even if it did little to gain them additional respect from other students. Even while I was in high school, I realized that my experience were very different then most. At most schools lettermen/women are respected and even honored. When I was out in the community I would see athletes from other schools. They seemed to carry themselves differently. Other teenagers at the local malls, or at high school hangouts seemed to give them a bit more room. The jacket wearers, and their close companions, had a swagger, they were confident, and it appeared as if they were in control of their world. Their jacket was a badge of success. It showed membership to a select group. That is a powerful thing. We are all social beings, and we all love to feel included in a group. In high school it may have been the football team, the debate team, the key club, the National Honors Society, the chess club, 4H, FFA, or FCA. Today it is the right country club, a certain professional organization, a specific hobby group, or maybe even the right church. We like the world to know that we have earned a spot in a select group within our chosen interests. Our club, sport, or organization jacket, shirt, hat, bag or pin shows the world that we belong to something. I remember after I left high school and went to college the world was different for the letter jacket wearers. The first few weeks at college, I noticed several people in their high school jackets. A large portion of them seemed to be from smaller schools in nearby rural areas. I have no way of knowing, but I would assume that at their schools their jackets had made given them some status. However, the pervious stares of respect were now replaced by ones of amusement at their lack of understanding, naivety and immaturity. College was and is a new world. The things of high school are not longer important. Your respect and honor among other students and faculty is based on your accomplishments in college. Those that are still looking to their high school successes to earn respect are not seen as fully mature. They are still teenagers in a world of young adults. Accepting Christ is like leaving high school and going to college. The world is new and different. The things that use to get you respect and honor now look less respectful and less honorable. Becoming a Christian is about putting away the things of old and becoming a new person. The maturing Christian is not powered by the ego of peer respect, but by the power of God looking into their lives and guiding their path. Your life is now about becoming what you are called too by God, and is not about becoming the person that is popular due to their personal achievements. People that accept Christ, but continue to live in their old sinful lives are never mature Christians. People that are really living for God, i.e. made a full change to following God, look at them with amazement and wonder why these people do not understand they are now members of a new world, and have a new life. In addition, it is a life that they are not fully enjoying. These people are between two worlds that can not co-exist. A person must be either for God and His ways or against Him, as one is either in college or they are not. God calls us to decide and then follow our decision. The great thing about God is that He is like a college with open enrollment. Anytime we change our mind and realize the mistake of ignoring Him, He is there to take us back. He is there to fully enroll us in our new lives, with new goals and a better future. The key is that we must realize our mistake and come to Him. Many times people are kept from their new and better lives due to pride and excuses. The truth is God is there, and He is ready to take us back anytime. He does not want us to just live for Him via our personal actions, but to thrive in Him via His actions through us. Another interesting parallel between the change from high school to college and the change from being lost to becoming a Christian is that we are no longer members of our old groups or our old clubs. We are now members a new and greater group. One that is completely team focused and needs each of us to thrive. God does not call us to leave the things of old without the promise of replacing our old lives with new and better ones. In Christ, our membership is not shown by what we wear on the outside, but is shown by our heart and how we live our lives. He takes our dirty, worn previous life and replaces it with a perfect, new life that is spotless and clean. We are now clothed in His glory and righteousness, and not in the pride and selfishness of our actions. Today, it is great that God loves me and is actively guiding my life. His death for my sins allows me to live fully in a new world of salvation. He allows me to have a bright future. I am not longer restrained by a life of success determined by physical prowess, intellectual achievements, academic awards, professional accreditations and organizational memberships. Now I am judged as a success by my membership in the body of Christ. There are many times I fail, and many times that God has to carry me, but I know that He loves me and that He is actively working to make me a success. Like a coach in a sport, God wants me to succeed, He wants me to be better, He wants me to thrive. He expects a lot of me because He has given me a lot, but if I try He is always there and is always working for my benefit, even when I do not understand why. He gave me a letter jacket on His team the moment I prayed for salvation, and told me that I was a starter before the first time I ever walked on to the field of spiritual battle. He does not ask me to win every battle to keep the jacket and stay on the team, all I have to do is give Him my best and He will make it a victory. - a early 30's success story