God's Coaching #300

God's Coaching #300

Emmitt Smith could dance. He proved that when he won the mirror-ball trophy on Dancing with the Stars in 2006. But long before Emmitt danced on TV, he danced through holes and around tacklers on the football field. In fact, the Dallas Cowboys running back finished his career as the best running back in NFL history. That’s not bad for a player that NFL scouts thought was too small and too slow to make a big impact in the league.

On this day in 2002, the five-foot-nine-inch running back became the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, breaking Walter Payton’s record. Emmitt entered the game against the Seattle Seahawks needing 93 yards to tie Walter’s mark of 16,726 rushing yards. With 10 minutes left in the game, he was only 13 yards away from the record. Emmitt gained three yards on a first-down carry. Then on a second down, he took a handoff, slashed off the left tackle, got a huge block from fullback Robert Thomas, broke a tackle, and rambled for 11 yards. The record was his! The crowd at Texas Stadium gave Emmitt a five-minute standing ovation as he hugged his mother and kissed his wife and children on the sidelines.

What’s the Score?

Emmitt retired from football in 2004 with a total of 18,355 rushing yards. He was the only running back to rush for more than 1,000 yards in 11 straight seasons. His 164 rushing touchdowns were also an all-time record. For a running back who people thought was small, Emmitt proved his toughness and durability. He got the most out of his God-given talents. Emmitt ran low to the ground, had great balance, and could burst through small holes that the offensive line opened up. Even though he wasn’t as big as a lot of other running backs, Emmitt missed only four starts in his 14-year career.

If Emmitt picked a Bible verse to describe his NFL career, he might choose Psalm 140:4, where David asks the Lord to keep him safe and to protect him from violent people who want to trip him up. The Lord kept Emmitt safe and gave him great balance, so he didn’t trip.

On the Ball

Do you have a Bible verse that describes your life? Some people call it a “life verse” that describes how you want to live. What is your life verse? Write it down:

If you don’t have a life verse, pick one for yourself.

Coach’s Comment

Keep me safe, LORD, from the hands of the wicked; protect me from the violent, who devise ways to trip my feet. Psalm 140:4 (NIV)