A Father's Eyes

Practice after practice, he eagerly gave  everything he had. 
But being  half the size of the other boys, he got absolutely  nowhere.   At all the games,  this hopeful athlete 
sat on the bench and hardly ever  played.

This teenager lived alone with his father, and  the two 
of them had a  very special relationship. Even though
 the son was  always on the bench, his  father was 
always in the stands cheering. 
He never  missed a game.

This young man was still the smallest of the  class 
 when he entered high  school. But his father
 continued to encourage him, but  also made
 it clear that  he did not have to play football if he 
didn't want to.  He was determined to  try his best 
at every practice, and perhaps he'd get to  play 
when he became a  senior.

All through his high school he never missed a 
 practice nor a game but  remained a bench 
warmer all four years. His faithful  father was
 always in the  stands, always with words of
 encouragement for him.

When the young man went to college, he decided to 
 try out for the  football team as a "walk on."
 Everyone was sure he could never  make the cut,
 but he  did. The coach admitted that he kept
 him on the roster  because he always put his 
 heart and soul to every practice, and 
at the same time,  provided the other  members
 with the spirit and hustle they badly needed.

The news that he had survived the cut thrilled 
 him so much that he  rushed to the nearest  phone
 and called his father. His father  shared his
 excitement  and was sent season tickets for
 all the college games. 

 This persistent young  athlete never missed 
practice during his four years of college, 
but he never got to play  in a game. It was the
 end of his senior football season, and as 
he trotted onto  the practice field  shortly before
 the big playoff game, the coach met him
 with a  telegram.

The young man read the telegram and became 
 deathly silent. Swallowing hard, he mumbled to
 the coach, "My father died this  morning.
 Is it all right if  I miss practice today?" 
The coach put his arm around  his shoulder
 and said,  "Take the rest of the week off son and 
don't even plan to  come back to the game
 on Saturday."

Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well. 
In the third  quarter, when the team was ten
 points behind, a silent young  man quietly slipped 
into  the empty locker room and put his 
football gear on.  As he ran onto the sidelines,
 the coach and his players were astounded
 to see  their faithful teammate  back so soon.

"Coach, please let me play. I've just got to  play 
today," said the  young man. he coach pretended 
not to hear him. There was  no way he wanted his
 worst player in this close playoff game. 
But the young  man persisted, and  finally
 feeling sorry for the kid,  the coach gave in.

"All right." He said, "You can go in."
 Before long, the coach,  the players and 
everyone  in the stands could  not believe
their eyes. This little unknown, who had 
never  played before was doing everything right.
 The opposing team could not  stop him.
 He ran, he  passed, blocked, and tackled
 like a star.

His team began to triumph. The score was soon tied.
 In the closing  seconds of the game, this kid 
 intercepted a pass and ran all  the way for the  winning touchdown. The fans broke loose. 
 His teammates  hoisted him onto their shoulders. 
Such cheering you never heard. 
Finally after the stands had emptied and the team
 had showered and left  the locker room, 
the coach noticed  that this young  man
 was sitting quietly  in the corner all alone.

The coach came to him and said, "Kid, I can't 
 believe it. You were  fantastic! Tell me what
 got into you? How did you do it?"

He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes
  and said, "Well, you  know my dad died,
 but did you know that my dad was blind." 
 The young man swallowed  hard and 
forced a smile, "Dad came to all my games, 
 but today was the first  time he could 
see me play,  and I wanted to show 
him I  could do it!"

Like the athlete's father, God is always there
  cheering for us.  He's  always reminding us
 to go on. He's even offering us his  hand for
 He knows  what is best, and is will to give us what 
we need and not  simply what we want.  God has
never missed a game. What a joy to know that  life is
 meaningful if  lived for the Highest. Live for HIM for
 He's watching us  in the game of life!