I attended my first NCAA Tournament game on Thursday night and it was a doozy. The Bison of North Dakota State upset the fifth seeded Oklahoma Sooners in overtime. It was the first tournament win in history for the Bison and they had most of the “neutral” fans chanting for them by the fourth quarter. Why were we cheering them on? Maybe we were inspired by the animated dedication of the Bison fans who stood out in their yellow and green attire. Maybe we were inspired by the heart and hustle of the Bison players. Or maybe we’re wired to root for the underdog. Maybe God is in the business of using underdogs and he has made our hearts resonate with those who must overcome great odds to win.
Whatever the case, March Madness is a celebration of underdogs and, as a result, it is a celebration of Christian vocabulary.
Two in particular come to mind: David vs. Goliath and redemption.
By the end of this tournament, an announcer on live television will make an allusion to David and Goliath. Why? Because it is the iconic underdog story. Many people might forget that it is a Christian story, but that doesn’t make it any less our story. So now, all other underdog stories are compared to that one. We would do well to enjoy this national celebration of our story.
Also by the end of this tournament, an announcer on live television will use the word redemption. Redemptive opportunities come in different shapes and sizes, but they always come and we feel a cathartic relief when redemption is found. Enjoy watching for those redemptive moments, knowing that they are a shadow of a much larger redemption.
Look, the Government can legislate against God, popular media can continue to indoctrinate us with a gospel of self-satisfaction while Macklemore and Ryan Lewis lure us into brazen rebellion against God…but March Madness still remains a celebration of Christian vocabulary. Let’s keep pressing Christian vocabulary into all of life.
It’s March. Enjoy the games!
