Leaving It ALL On the Field

“I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious.” – Vince Lombardi

If there is one mantra that I have tried to follow throughout my life it is this: “Leave it all on the field.” In other words, try your best, don’t hold back, and give it everything you’ve got.

I adopted that mindset when I ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in New Jersey’s 1st congressional district in 2008 and 2010. The longtime Democrat incumbent raised in excess of $2 million both election cycles whereas I was only able to raise $30,000 and $60,000 respectively. Because that wasn’t nearly enough to buy TV time in a major media market like Philadelphia, I had no alternative but to outwork my opponent. That meant personally knocking on 10,000 doors… and wearing out several pairs of shoes and losing 10 pounds in the process.

Although I didn’t win either race, I earned more votes than any GOP candidate in 35 years and was able to accept my two defeats because I knew that I had given it my absolute best shot. Putting forth my maximum effort also meant there was no second guessing or what ifs. Instead, I was left with the deep satisfaction that I had done everything in my power to win but had simply come up short.

I have always approached sports in the same manner, perhaps because I was never a stellar athlete. And so, I tried to out-think and out-hustle my opponent every single time I stepped onto the softball field, the basketball court, or the golf course. In fact, I still do… at the ripe old age of 62.

How sad would it be if I only gave it my best when I had a chance to win a political campaign or a relatively meaningless sporting event? After all, 10,000 years from now it won’t matter who won those elections or what the final score was in those games. However, how hard I tried to serve God by studying His Word, obeying His commands, sharing His love, and proclaiming His gospel will resonate throughout eternity.

The same goes for you, my friend, so please “leave it all on the field” when it comes to serving God, ministering to others, and reaching the lost.

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Galatians 6:9 (NKJV)

- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President