Message summary: Today we consider the long snapper position in football and its parallel to our different gifts.

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"We have different gifts, according to the grace given us" (Romans 12:6).

This coming Sunday the NFL football season culminates with the big game, the "Super Bowl". I vaguely recall watching the first Super Bowl with my dad on January 15, 1967 before it was even called the Super Bowl. The Kansas City Chiefs got trounced by the Green Bay Packers. (I grew up in the Kansas City area so it was a pretty big deal to the locals.)

This year it features teams from coast to coast: Boston and Seattle. Most of our readers, especially in the USA, could name these teams (Patriots and Seahawks). Probably many could also name those playing in the most famous position, quarterback. Of course some serious fans could also name several other players.

But I suspect very few could name the long snappers for each team. These players may not even be mentioned by name during the game. The long snapper is a position many give little thought to, unless they're highlighted because they messed up!

The long snapper is the special team player who snaps the football for PAT's, (point after attempts) field goals and punts. Since, in many games the score is close, their skill in snapping the ball accurately into the hands of the placeholder is critically important. Games have been lost due to long snapper error and won because of his proficiency, although he scarcely gets much credit.

As the article "Why NFL Teams Still Can’t Live Without A Long Snapper" observes, "The biggest thing about long snapping is that most people can’t do it." (link below)

It's that way in the Body of Christ. The Bible says, "We have different gifts". Some have gifts that are prominent like famous preachers, musicians, authors, etc. They're like the quarterbacks of God's Kingdom. We tend to value these gifts and often hold these people in high esteem since they're most prominent in God's Kingdom work. And I am indeed thankful for prominent members of Christ's Kingdom whom God has blessed mightily with certain gifts.

But most of us have gifts that are far less prominent, but no less important. Only a tiny, tiny percentage of the Church even knows who we are! We're like football's long snappers, whom most people don't pay a lot of attention to. But every one of us has gifts we are called to use in advancing God's Kingdom.

Bibleref.com further elaborates on this:

All believers are part of the greatest team in the ultimate contest and every contribution is important and makes a difference. We'll see how it all fits together far more clearly when we reach the other side. Appreciate what God is doing in and through you as He develops, grows and uses the gift(s) He has bestowed upon you.

In the next two messages we are going to glean long snapper character traits from a little known Bible character names Epaphras who is mentioned in the letter to the Colossians. Before you might be tempted to look him up I wonder how many of you know anything about him? He was like a long snapper in The NT church.

Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13