It’s not every day you get asked to shoot photos of an NFL star. But it happened this week when former running back Matt Forte visited Moody Radio’s studios for an interview.
At age 32, Matt is still tall, still buff, and—frankly—an intimidating presence. Chicago fans easily remember watching him blasting through tacklers, spinning past brute defenders, and carrying the Bears’ offense—game after game (9,796 career yards).
No matter how you look at him, Matt Forte is impressive. While most running backs last less than three seasons, Matt played ten. And two of those seasons, he was elected to the Pro Bowl.
The guy could run and catch, being one of only three players in the NFL’s “1,000-yard-rushing, 100-catch-season club.” Imagine having a career average of 4.2 yards per carry, 54 career rushing touchdowns, and 21 receiving touchdowns.
So what’s the most important thing you should know about Matt Forte? It’s this: Matt is a real-deal follower of Jesus Christ. Snapping pictures as he spoke, I was impressed with his command of Bible passages and stories. That’s something you wouldn’t encounter on Monday Night Football or ESPN. Nor would you see something like that in a Sports Illustrated story about his career.
Matt spoke about the importance of not just having a Bible, but really reading that Bible—digging in for yourself and bulking up on biblical truth. All of which leads me to ask a simple question.
What’s the most important thing about you? Is it the workplace “touchdowns” you’ve scored? Is it the social status you’ve reached? The money you’ve made? The car you drive? What do others observe as the driving force in your life? Is it your stuff—or your Savior?
It’s easy to claim we put God first—but our friends and family know the truth. They know what we rush to the second we finish dinner, or when we have a free Saturday.
I’m learning it’s disturbingly easy to let my priorities get out of whack. Easy to go after the wrong things with the most zest. Best heed the familiar advice of Jesus who urged us…
See first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
—Matthew 6:33