With the Pittsburgh Steelers' proud tradition of being a well-run franchise, the situation involving their two former stars, Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell, has been a big deal.
But by trading Brown and letting Bell walk in free agency, the Steelers can now move on and worry about the players on their current roster.
Head coach, Mike Tomlin, made an interesting comment about his players in a recent article on The Athletic. He said, “We can’t do this with hostages, man. We need volunteers. We need good players, good guys who want to be here and if guys can’t check those boxes, it’s probably best for all parties involved to go our separate ways.”
We can always count on Tomlin for a good sound bite, and his comparison between hostages and volunteers is a strong illustration of coaches wanting players who desire to be there - not ones who feel forced or trapped.
A team has more success when players genuinely submit to the coach’s plan and fully buy into the team, instead of feeling obligated or not wanting to be there.
Tomlin's illustration can also be a good reminder for us today. God loves us so much and His plan for us is the best, but He’s not going to force us or trap us into following Him.
He invites us to know Him and draws us to Himself, but we also have the freedom to go our own way. He’s looking for volunteers, not hostages!
Another way to unpack Tomlin’s words through the lens of faith is in understanding that Jesus offers us freedom when we submit and surrender to Him.
Acts 13:39 (NIV) tells us, “Through Him, everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.”
Being set free from sin means we no longer have to be held hostage as described in Romans 8:7-8 (AMP): "...the mind of the flesh is actively hostile to God. It does not submit itself to God’s law, since it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
We also have the good news that we don’t have to be held hostage by earning salvation through good works. In Christ, we are free - we become “volunteers.”
Galatians 5:1 (NLT) reminds us, "So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.”
Today, let’s not go back to being a hostage. Instead, let's be challenged to surrender freely...volunteer to go God’s way...and remember we’re free from the punishment of sin because of Jesus.
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me enough to send Jesus to provide me grace and freedom. I freely choose to follow You and surrender to You. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
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