Tip of My Iceberg

               photo courtesy of Courtney Wickberg

His size doesn’t deter him from trying what intrigues him. At five, Beck has quite an independent spirit and a resilience comparable to those much older and bigger than he is.

Beck has been playing soccer for a while and has become adept at it. The game inspires him to try harder, and he’s improving his skill set with his moves and understanding of the game.

Success can motivate us to push into new areas of growth and challenge.

Basketball became a new venue for him to try, a sport he’d never played but which fascinated him. He gave it everything he had.

His enthusiasm didn’t measure up to necessary skills. He didn’t have the strength to get the ball up to the basket.

That didn’t keep him from continuing to try.

If we’re actively engaged in life, we all have desires to learn and do new and different things. The world is a grand place, and there’s so much to grasp and learn. Curious minds seek to understand areas we don’t know.

Our own limitations, however, keep us from doing or being anything we choose. I’m a short, older woman who enjoys many sports, but I’ll never have what it takes to play in the NBA. I don’t have the body type or age to be a super model. I lack the technological skill set to create computer programs to help others in ways I see we all need particular assistance.

Does that mean we don’t try? Do we quit because we’re afraid of failure?

Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, the inspiration for the 1993 film, “Rudy”, knew what it meant to battle against the odds and not quit. Born the third of fourteen children into a poor but loving family, his dad’s passion for Notre Dame football spurred Rudy’s interest to try to become part of the team.

He was, however, challenged by dyslexia and a small stature. Only five foot six inches, 165 pounds, he did well in high school as a corner back, but it didn’t translate to playing for a big university. Not having the funds to go to college, he joined the Navy after high school, serving two terms during the Viet Nam war.

The GI Bill gave him the needed funds to attend Holy Cross College when he returned in 1972. He discovered that if he could get straight A’s for four semesters, he could transfer to Notre Dame. Though academics were hard for him, he worked harder. He applied three different times to get into Notre Dame, and on his fourth try he was finally accepted in 1974.

This was only the beginning of his dream. He worked hard as he kept showing up at football practices, finally being accepted onto the scout team which helps prepare the varsity team.

Coaches saw his efforts and his tenacity. He never ceased trying. Finally, on November 8, 1975, he stepped on the field of play for the first and last time. Notre Dame was playing Georgia Tech, and when Rudy went in, he managed to sack the quarterback in the last play of the game.

His teammates carried him off the field in celebration.

Pursuing a dream and not quitting–even though the odds are against us–is what builds character. Both Beck and Rudy were challenged by size, but neither showed a desire to quit.

God knows our limits, and He empowers us to do more than we anticipate. We won’t become everything we want to be or accomplish all we hope for, but with Him we have strength and security that goes beyond the scope of our limitations.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.” 2 Timothy 1:7

We often need wisdom to know what to pursue, understanding to give our best contribution to the world we live in, and the power of Jesus in us to persevere and stay the course.

What I appreciate about Beck is his unwillingness to stop trying. He’s not afraid of what he can’t do. He just keeps trying.

And even though he’s never scored a goal, he won the sportsmanship award.

What fears or frustrations keep you from trying?