Just one year after capturing the attention of the college football world with a dynamic start to their season, the Colorado Buffaloes kicked off year number two under head coach Deion Sanders with a hard-fought 31-26 victory over FCS powerhouse North Dakota State.
As is regularly the case with the Buffaloes, the star of Thursday night’s contest was superstar Travis Hunter. The Georgia native started his junior campaign by hauling in seven catches for 132 yards and three touchdowns.
Those numbers would be impressive for any collegiate receiver. Still, his stat line becomes even more astonishing when you consider that Hunter also started and played the entire game as a defensive back.
It is infrequent today to see a college football player who plays both sides of the ball. Even in rare situations where you might find such an occurrence, two-way players typically feature on one side of the ball and get just a handful of reps on the other.
But that is certainly not the case with Hunter. He is a starter and a full-time player on both sides of the ball, which is virtually unheard of in the modern era.
As followers of Jesus, there is a sense that our call is to be “two-way players.”
In the Great Commission, Jesus commanded all of His followers, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20; ESV).
Our call to each of us who follow Jesus is to engage in “offense” by actively sharing the gospel with others and taking the time to disciple and train those who respond to the message of salvation.
Psalm 105:1 (NIV) echoes a similar sentiment of actively engaging the world when it says, “Give praise to the LORD, proclaim His name; make known among the nations what He has done.”
But at the same time as our command to “suit up” on “offense,” the Bible firmly commands us to be prepared to “play” on “defense.”
As we go out into the world as God has commanded us, we must always be careful not to become a part of the world (the evil world system opposed to God).
Engaging in “offense” does not mean we can be reckless or foolish in ministering to others. Even as we share the gospel and converse with others, we must prepare for a battle on “defense” that requires us to stand against temptations, evil, and unwise environments.
James 4:4 (NLT) says, “You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.”
Today, let’s fulfill the biblical commands to be in the world but not of the world. Let’s prepare to stand out as “two-way players” who engage the people of the world while always being guarded against becoming like the world.
I’m Matt Osborne, and you can UNPACK that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for saving me and allowing me to share Your good news with others. Please give me boldness and wisdom as I proclaim Your truth. As I do so, please help me guard against the evil that surrounds me so that I will remain pure in all I do. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
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