Tavner SmithIt was the fourth quarter. Less than four minutes left on the clock. We were losing by eight points. I can remember it like it was yesterday.
My high school basketball team was undefeated and playing in the state tournament. I was standing at half court, staring at the clock and thinking, “This is it it’s over. It’s been a great year, but we’re going to lose.”
As a player from the opposing team was getting ready to take his last free throw, a picture came into my mind. The picture was rather odd but made so much sense to me in the moment. I saw a goose with its wings wrapped around a frog, preparing to devour it. At the same time, the frog was grabbing the goose’s neck so he could not finish the job. The caption under the picture read “Never Give Up!”
Immediately the thoughts of defeat left my mind and I was overwhelmed with a feeling of excitement. I called a time out, and shared my excitement with my team. In that moment, everything shifted. We played with such intensity that we ended up winning the game in the last minute.
This story from my past may actually have a lot to do with you. The Christmas season is often a wonderful time of excitement for people, gathering with family and participating in holiday traditions. Though this is true for many of us, there are others who have encountered worry, stress, loss and grief this year.
While some are experiencing their first Christmas with a new child or new spouse, others are experiencing their first Christmas without a loved one. As some are celebrating their successful year in sales or their new promotion, others are struggling to pay bills.
Life can be hard, and the holiday season can magnify the pain, but I want to encourage you to “Never Give Up.”
John 3:16 says, “For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” Words are not vivid enough to describe the brutality of Jesus’ death on the cross. He was beaten, punched, mocked, taunted and spit on. He was lashed 39 times with a whip filled with bone fragments and rock. He had a crown of thorns pressed onto his head and the thorns beat into his skull.
He was nailed to a cross and placed on display to die in front of the city. As he hung naked on the cross to save the world, he was tempted. Some of the soldiers yelled out, “If you really are God, then come down from the cross.” Thankfully, he had already made up his mind that he would not quit. The price was high, but he knew that the prize was precious. He was not just winning this battle, he was winning the world.
Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus, but Jesus was born to die. Jesus is the greatest example of someone who would “Never Give Up.” As we approach the holidays, I want to encourage you to follow the example of the one who created you and gave his life for you. Whatever you are going through, my words to you today are simple:
“Never Give Up!”
Tavner Smith has led Venue Church in Chattanooga since its creation in 2013. He and his wife Danielle live their lives to encourage others to their fullest potential.