I have to admit.....when I was watching UMBC (University of Maryland Baltimore County) destroy top seeded Virginia in the first round of the NCAA tournament, I was not very excited. I had Virginia going all the way in several of my brackets! They were busted beyond repair.
Normally, we all love a underdog story! We love to watch them unfold. All of the greatest movies involve some sort of under prepared or ill-equipped protagonist/team become the hero or become the best. That's what makes the story interesting and good. A simple "business as usual" result doesn't excite us. It's the underdog story that captures our hearts.
It's not only a great story for an audience or spectators, but in real life, when underdogs find success, it is a beautiful thing for those individuals. Confidence is increased, hope is proved true, and genuine appreciation is cultivated.
When I see an underdog win, I'm reminded of hope. I reminded that no matter what the odds look like, things can happen differently than what I project. This is true in all of our lives as well. No matter our circumstances, we can't always assume the outcome. With God, this is especially the reality. God takes underdogs and raises them up. He often takes the humble and meek, and propels them to the top. He also takes those in dire circumstances and completely reverses their trajectory. In doing so, He shows His power and might. He reminds us that nothing is outside of His scope of possibility.
God took Moses, a murderous bad public speaker, and made him the leader of the Israelites against Pharaoh and his army.
God took David, a small boy, and allowed him to fire a rock at a massive warrior Philistine giant and kill him.
God used Joseph, Rahab, the disciples, and John the Baptist to accomplish important and incredible things---all whom seemed unlikely to do so. This list could go on.
However, God told the most underdog story in what He accomplished through the cross. Jesus came to earth and lived a life of perfection. When He was nailed to a cross and killed, it appeared that the underdog finally saw defeat. However, the empty grave proved otherwise. The "underdog" defeated something that had never lost---death. Jesus rose again to give us all hope and offer us life.
It is probably not accurate to label Jesus an underdog. After all, He is God. But, to an unbelieving world, this underdog story proves that God is sovereign, King, and able to accomplish all.
Happy Monday, everyone! I pray that the underdog story we all especially focus on during this Easter season, gives you great joy as you face your week! JESUS IS RISEN!! There's no greater story than that.
