February 21, 2007

[Rev. Doc]

Overcoming The Critics

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. "
Matthew 5:11

Chicago Bear, # 34, Walter Payton played with a loosing record. The Bears were not very successful. Walter was told he was too little and came from a little place, Columbia, Miss. Many people told Walter what he could not do.

Walter decided he was not going to listen to the critics and the armchair fatbacks. Payton played 13 seasons under many adverse conditions, yet he made history. Payton set the career rushing yardage at 15,726 yards, total yardage record was 21,803, and scored 110 rushing touchdowns, he had 10 one thousand yard plus seasons. In 1977, Payton set the single game record of 275 yards. This was not easy. Payton played when the crowd would boo him. He finally went to a Super Bowl before he retired. Many games were played in pain. But Payton’s greatest record was HE LOVED the game. He tried each game. Yard by yard Payton made history and set records. This required great effort and turning a deaf ear to screaming critics. It is overcoming hardness that put Payton in the record book.

Prayer: Ask God to help you hear His voice over the critics.

"Let the man who says it cannot be done not disturb the man doing it."
~Chinese proverb