The sports world lost one of the best running backs in NFL history this week as legendary Chicago Bears running back, Gale Sayers, passed away.

Unfortunately, I’m too young to have watched him play during his career, but after reading about him, I’m blown away by what he accomplished in such a short NFL career.

Here are some highlights that jump out:

• He made the All-Pro First-Team in each of his first five seasons.
• He was twice the NFL rushing yards leader.
• His career average yards per carry is 5.0.
• He won the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year Award after making his way back from a knee injury.
• He scored eight touchdowns while returning punts/kicks.
• He’s a member of the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

As impressive as all of that is, his character and humility are what shined even brighter.

His relationship with teammate, Brian Piccolo, is one of the most inspiring friendships we’ve ever heard about in sports. It was even turned into a movie called, Brian’s Song, which continues to carry impact all these years later.

Today, I want to focus on his football ability and unpack how the word elusive is used to describe his running style and how it parallels a skill we need in our own lives.

The following comments and headlines use the word, elusive:

The New York Times headline read: “Gale Sayers Dies; Elusive Hall of Fame Running Back Was 77.”

The first line in an Associated Press article was: “Gale Sayers, the dazzling and elusive running back who entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame despite the briefest of careers and whose fame extended far beyond the field for decades thanks to a friendship with a dying Chicago Bears teammate, has died.”

Commissioner Roger Goodell said, “Gale was an electrifying and elusive runner who thrilled fans every time he touched the ball.”

247sports.com used this headline: “’Kansas Comet’ Gale Sayers was the Standard for Elusive Backs.”

Clearly, Sayers had an elite ability to slip and shift past the defense and, therefore, was hard to tackle because of his elusiveness.
Difficult to take down, he was the type of runner who wouldn’t even give the defense much of a chance to catch him.

As followers of Jesus, we also want to be elusive when it comes to temptation and Satan’s attempts to take us down.

The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8 (NLT), “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”

In other words, to avoid giving him an opportunity to trip us up, we must “slip or shift” past him and what leads to sin. By being elusive toward temptations and things such as anger, we make it hard for him to “tackle” us.

Ephesians 4:27 (AMP) explains, “And do not give the devil an opportunity [to lead you into sin by holding a grudge, or nurturing anger, or harboring resentment, or cultivating bitterness].”

James 4:7 (NLT) tells us, “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

The key to our elusiveness is to be aware of our weaknesses and temptations and not even get close to what can hit us hard. When our eyes are fixed on Jesus, and we follow Him away from the enemy, we’ll be too tough to take down.

Today, let’s be receptive of the reassuring promise God gives us in His Word:

“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure” 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT).

I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please help me be elusive when it comes to temptations in my path, and show me the way out so I can endure. I pray for strength to avoid giving the enemy any opportunity to take me down. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

1. Can you describe an example from your own life where you utilized elusiveness and avoided temptation?

2. Who are the top five running backs you’ve watched in your lifetime?