Peyton earned his 5th MVP yesterday and it was well deserved. But what do I think specifically earned him the title? I think it was his preparation, work ethic, and attention to detail that earned him the title.
Today, the day of Superbowl XLVIIII, I was reminded of a quote I read in Sports Illustrated lat year that proves my suspicion right about why Peyton won the MVP award. The article was masterfully written by written by Lee Jenkins. There is one section of the article that hit a nerve with me. Read it below and then I’ll share my own commentary below:
Here are some things I picked up just from this short paragraph.
Preparing to be the best means paying attention to detail (Ryan Leaf obviously did not )
No matter how good you are, you can get better.
No matter where you are “ranked”, you can get better.
No matter how prepared you are, you can prepare better.
For those of us who are Christians, and specifically Youth Pastors, everything can’t matter, such as wealth, possessions, etc. But, the details of how and why we live our lives matter.
Jesus noticed the widow woman putting in her offering and made a big deal.
Jesus noticed the side of the boat the fisherman were casting on and told them to change sides.
Jesus noticed that power had left him because a woman had touched the hem of his garment.
Jesus noticed these small details while everyone else were focused on the hoopla of the moment.
I would suggest we be more like Peyton in our profession as youth workers. Strive to be the best we can. Pay attentions to the details of the ministry and not just the pomp and circumstance.
We should take note of who is not present in our youth meeting and follow up with them.
Notice when a kids is standing or sitting alone.
Fix a problem before it starts.
In the article Jon Tornine suggests that the phrase “It all mattered to me” should be on Peyton’s tombstone.
Peyton’s desire to be the best and be perfect in his craft is almost complete. With a win today he, as some say, “seal his legacy.”
Although Jon’s suggestion is a good one for Peyton, or anyone wanting to be great; I would like to up the ante one more, and say I’d like to have, “If It Mattered To Jesus, It Mattered To Him” on my tombstone.
Peyton’s legacy on the football field will be sealed whether he wins or loses today, he’s a great quarterback. There are no MVP awards in ministry. Nothing to say “You were the best this year” or any year and I am o.k. with that because I know my reward will not be given to me in this lifetime. My legacy is still in motion.
I’m still working on my legacy because it will not be totally defined by what I do on this earth or by what I accomplished by the end of my career as a youth worker, but my legacy will carry over into eternity and that is where it everything matters most.