The coach in pregame says this to his team in the locker room: “Now guys, let’s be nice out there tonight. I want you to quit being so rough on the other team. Quit hitting them so hard. Stop hanging on to the football so tightly; carry it loose so it is easier for the other team to get it away from us. Lets just be nice guys tonight.

My guess is, no coach in America at any level of football from junior high to the N.F.L. has ever said that speech and meant it.

Galations 1:10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Men (and women) need to be challenged. That is why, I think, we love the game of football, our guys against your guys. Who has worked harder in preparation for the game, both mentally and physically? The game itself is a challenge to play. It is not for the soft in spirit and body.

Our spiritual lives are also challenging. It is difficult to love everyone. It is difficult to read the Bible and pray everyday. It is at times difficult to get to church.

But once we start to do the things recommended by Coach Jesus, it gets easier to do. We start to take on the characteristics of our Coach.

So are you pleasing people instead of God? Have you gone soft?