Drafting Surprises
Last week, millions of viewers like myself tuned in for the first major sporting event in a while: the NFL Draft. It was weird to see the commissioner announcing the draft picks from his basement instead of a podium, but it was nice to have some semblance of sports again. For many football fans, the NFL Draft is also a time of optimism and looking forward to the following season.Well, for most fans, that is.
As most of you may know, I'm a Green Bay Packers fan (if you want to know why I'm randomly a Packers & Wisconsin sports fan, read here). Like most Packers fans, I was shocked when the made the surprise move to trade up in the draft to select Jordan Love, a quarterback from Utah State. While I had seen rumors that the Packers might select him, I kept hoping they would select a wide receiver, perhaps Baylor's Denzel Mims. The Packers were 1 win away from the Super Bowl this past season and seemed set at quarterback for a while with Aaron Rodgers. For many, this pick was not only a surprise, but one that just doesn't make any sense. Admittedly, the day after the draft I told someone I didn't love the pick (no pun intended). As I've had more time to reflect and think about that surprise draft pick by the Packers, I wanted to share my thoughts - and even life lessons from it.
Life isn't about what happens; life is about how we react to what happens. I feel for Jordan Love. He seems like a great guy that has potential as a quarterback. He's done nothing wrong, but has been put in a difficult situation, one that he appears to be handling well. Life sometimes forces us into difficult situations, ones that create conflict and tension. When that occurs, we can't spend all of time lamenting or wishing that we never got put in that situation to begin with. Conversely, we need to assess where we are and the best way to move forward. As one saying goes, you play with the hand you're dealt. In Jordan Love's case, handling this tense situation (and underlying conflict) with class and humility goes a long way, too. You play with the hand you're dealt, not the hand you want.
As a Packers fan, I've tried to limit the amount of articles I read or videos I watch concerning their draft and the aftermath of it. Why? Well, reading or listening to that isn't going to help me right now. Listening to people debate if the Packers are having a power struggle or hear hot takes on what will happen with Rodgers will only frustrate and/or disappoint me. This isn't to say that we should just bury our heads in the sand with all of the news, but that we should be mindful of how much we consume. We also should direct our attention to what God says and what our family and friends say, not what the world says.
Being replaced is an uneasy feeling. It's as though you're no longer needed or wanted anymore. That can be really hard to grapple and handle. It can lead to wondering if you're still needed or wanted at all. However, that is the worst thing that we can tell ourselves. Our life situations may change, but that doesn't have to be a reflection on us as a whole. If our identity, worth, or purpose are rooted in something that can be replaced or taken from us, we will feel empty. God never designed us to live that way. Our purpose goes beyond our job or what we do. God wants us to live for a greater purpose: His Kingdom. He will always want us.
It's funny how history has a way of repeating itself. We have a way of believing that problems we face or struggles we endure are unique to us or our time. The reality is that the problems we face today or struggles we endure are similar to what others have faced or endured in the past. To be clear, this isn't meant to make light of COVID-19 or undermine the seriousness of this pandemic. Sins such as pride, greed, lust, or jealousy have always been stumbling blocks for people. Today's context and technologies may mean that those struggles take on a different form than they previously have, but doesn't mean that they're new. Perhaps Solomon knew what he was talking about when he wrote Ecclesiastes. It's a reminder that we are -- and always have been -- broken and fallen people in need of a Savior through Jesus Christ.
As most of you may know, I'm a Green Bay Packers fan (if you want to know why I'm randomly a Packers & Wisconsin sports fan, read here). Like most Packers fans, I was shocked when the made the surprise move to trade up in the draft to select Jordan Love, a quarterback from Utah State. While I had seen rumors that the Packers might select him, I kept hoping they would select a wide receiver, perhaps Baylor's Denzel Mims. The Packers were 1 win away from the Super Bowl this past season and seemed set at quarterback for a while with Aaron Rodgers. For many, this pick was not only a surprise, but one that just doesn't make any sense. Admittedly, the day after the draft I told someone I didn't love the pick (no pun intended). As I've had more time to reflect and think about that surprise draft pick by the Packers, I wanted to share my thoughts - and even life lessons from it.
How are we reacting?
Life isn't about what happens; life is about how we react to what happens. I feel for Jordan Love. He seems like a great guy that has potential as a quarterback. He's done nothing wrong, but has been put in a difficult situation, one that he appears to be handling well. Life sometimes forces us into difficult situations, ones that create conflict and tension. When that occurs, we can't spend all of time lamenting or wishing that we never got put in that situation to begin with. Conversely, we need to assess where we are and the best way to move forward. As one saying goes, you play with the hand you're dealt. In Jordan Love's case, handling this tense situation (and underlying conflict) with class and humility goes a long way, too. You play with the hand you're dealt, not the hand you want.
Tuning Out
There are times when we have to "tune out" from all of the "noise" in the world. When we listen to too much of this "noise", negative, depressing thoughts kick in. The Packers drafting Jordan Love has made him a pawn in all these underlying rumors, debates, and questions about Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Are the Packers and Aaron Rodgers at odds with each other? Was this a power move by the Packers to send a message to him? How will Rodgers respond? Will he finish his career with another team like Brett Favre?As a Packers fan, I've tried to limit the amount of articles I read or videos I watch concerning their draft and the aftermath of it. Why? Well, reading or listening to that isn't going to help me right now. Listening to people debate if the Packers are having a power struggle or hear hot takes on what will happen with Rodgers will only frustrate and/or disappoint me. This isn't to say that we should just bury our heads in the sand with all of the news, but that we should be mindful of how much we consume. We also should direct our attention to what God says and what our family and friends say, not what the world says.
Irreplaceable?
As our life situations change, we face the fear and/or reality of being replaced. The selection of Jordan Love has led to people speculating how much longer Aaron Rodgers will play for the Packers. Being a first-round selection suggests the Packers expect Love to play at some point and be Rodgers' successor, albeit in a few years. Ironically, Rodgers can relate to that more than anyone else (more on that later).Being replaced is an uneasy feeling. It's as though you're no longer needed or wanted anymore. That can be really hard to grapple and handle. It can lead to wondering if you're still needed or wanted at all. However, that is the worst thing that we can tell ourselves. Our life situations may change, but that doesn't have to be a reflection on us as a whole. If our identity, worth, or purpose are rooted in something that can be replaced or taken from us, we will feel empty. God never designed us to live that way. Our purpose goes beyond our job or what we do. God wants us to live for a greater purpose: His Kingdom. He will always want us.
The More Things Change...
The more things change, the more things truly do stay the same. There are some surprising parallels of when Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love were drafted. One, they were drafted exactly 15 years apart from one another (4/23/05 and 4/23/20). Rodgers went 24th in the draft, while Love went 26th. When Rodgers was drafted, he was 21 years old and Brett Favre, the Packers' starting quarterback, was 35. Flash forward to today and Love is 21 years old and Rodgers is 36.It's funny how history has a way of repeating itself. We have a way of believing that problems we face or struggles we endure are unique to us or our time. The reality is that the problems we face today or struggles we endure are similar to what others have faced or endured in the past. To be clear, this isn't meant to make light of COVID-19 or undermine the seriousness of this pandemic. Sins such as pride, greed, lust, or jealousy have always been stumbling blocks for people. Today's context and technologies may mean that those struggles take on a different form than they previously have, but doesn't mean that they're new. Perhaps Solomon knew what he was talking about when he wrote Ecclesiastes. It's a reminder that we are -- and always have been -- broken and fallen people in need of a Savior through Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
Going into the draft, I reminded my Dad of a certain "draft rule" we've made up: every year, there's always at least one surprise selection in the first round. Little did I know that the Green Bay Packers would be the team to do that a few hours later. Life's full of surprises, though how we react and handle those surprises is what's most important. Now more than ever, it's worth filtering out some of the "noise" in the world and tuning in to those that truly matter. Our worldly possessions and status may come and go, but a life with God lasts forever. History has a way of repeating itself. While that may seem somber and morbid in itself, we can take heart in knowing that those before us faced similar obstacles that we face today.
With the NFL Draft, it takes a few years to properly assess how a team did and see if the draft picks worked out. What may be a surprise move today may be a genius move five years from now. Besides, the last time the Packers drafted a quarterback in the first round things turned out pretty well. Here's hoping that part of history repeats itself, too
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| Go Pack Go! |
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