The Mighty Macs

We watched a wonderful movie tonight called The Mighty Macs.  It is a movie about a small failing Catholic women's college, now called Immaculata University, in the '70's that went on to win the first women's college national basketball championship in 1973, led by coach Kathy Rush.  When Kathy Rush first came in, the college basketball team was solely intended as an physical outlet to keep women chaste.  This obviously didn't make for much winning but coach Rush had a different plan for the team.

She wanted to win and she wanted the girls to believe they could win.  Through the guidance of Coach Rush and a nun at the school the girls learned to work as a team and believe in themselves.  They learned that their coach believed in them and they also learned to be passionate about something.  Many of the women in that championship team went on to be successful in not just basketball but life.

There is a moment towards the end of the movie where coach Rush is giving a pep talk before the championship game.  You recited 1 Corinthians 9:24 to the girls as motivation for them to fight for victory. As I told you, they went on to win the game, which was a great feat considering they had lost to the very same team by 42 points weeks prior.


 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 says, 

²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. ²⁶ Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. ²⁷ No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Fighting for the truth of the gospel and the truth of the Bible is not politically correct these days.  We are told by the world that we are to be tolerant of all religions as truth.  We are told that it is arrogant to believe that Christianity could be the only truth and way to heaven.  Many churches today have unfortunately succumb to these lies from the world.

Tonight, I encourage you to fight the good fight and run the race.  The crown you will receive for enduring in truth to the end is as Paul say, "a crown that will last forever."  Do not let the world silence the truth of the gospel.  Do not let the world keep you from living a bold life for Christ.  Do not let the world discourage you from running the race.  Find strength in Jesus and trust the truth of His words saying, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the father except through me." John 14:6.

Blessings,

Greg