Pro Football Hall of Fame - oh please read even if you don’t like sports.

I know you are thinking I am going to talk about my sons again, granted as a Mom I think they already qualify for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But what I am talking about is the real one.

Did you watch it? Of course you didn’t because you are not in an all male household! So let me give you some awesome highlights that you may have missed.

GOD WAS PRAISED ALL NIGHT LONG. Seriously, I was beyond shocked.

The one man who I want to single out is Art Monk. Art Monk is known for not giving interviews and as his son, who introduced him said, Monk wants to be known for his actions rather than what he says. Oh how many of us Christians can live by that word of advice.

Here is a man who has every reason to boast about his accomplishments, EVERY REASON. He worked hard, he sacrificed, and for several years he was looked over for this reward, but now he is being recognized.

When it came to his turn to speak, which he was the last to do so, the audience gave him the longest standing ovation. These are words that he spoke in front of a live television audience, and a stadium FILLED to the brim of fans:

And even now as a Hall of Famer, the one thing I want to make very clear is that my identity and my security is found in the Lord. And what defines me and my validation comes in having accepted his son Jesus Christ as my personal savior. And what defines me is the word of God and it’s the word of God that will continue to shape and mold me into the person that I know he’s called me to be.

So I’ve learned a long time ago never to put my faith or trust in man, for man will always fail you. Man will always disappoint you. But the word of God says that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. And he will never fail you.

And that is what I live by and what I stand on.

I wanted to stand up on my chair and yell praise God. May God be given all the Glory.

Like I mentioned Art Monk should have been inducted years ago, so why the wait? We will never know, but I love Charlie Arehart’s take on it:

So here’s a different take on why his induction may have been so delayed: God’s providential hand. By holding back some of the voters, it made the whole matter take on a much more prominent place in the mind of the media, NFL, and fans paying attention.

And to me it seems reasonable to think that God orchestrated things to happen that way. I’m sure Art himself may see this eventually (if not already) as his “desert experience”: painful in the moment, but with patience and faith, it all works out in the end, for God’s fame. Soli Deo gloria!

Even if you are not a football fan this is truly something to be excited about! Thank you Art Monk for your example of a humble, Godly man especially in the midst of great success. May my boys grow to have the same character attributes.