Loving the Underdog–The Bengals in the Super Bowl
The Bengals are heading to the Super Bowl. Even as I write it, it is hard to believe. I was four-years-old the last time the Bengals made it to the Super Bowl. Just last week, my house erupted into screams and celebration as we watched our Bengals win the AFC title. We’ve patiently waited through many seasons where it was hard to hold onto hope and many games that were hard to even watch. The picture here tells the story of how we felt about the Bengals for many years. I know my family wasn’t the only one celebrating last week. People were screaming and jumping up and down all over Cincinnati and throughout the country. Simultaneously in houses, bars, restaurants, everywhere imaginable, people were in shock and excitement was erupting as the Bengals defeated the Chiefs to win the AFC Championship. It was delightful and uplifting and exciting. People all over the nation are cheering on the Bengals as they head to the Super Bowl on Sunday.
Why is it that so many people seem to be behind the Bengals right now? I read in a WKRC article that more Americans were rooting for the Bengals to make it to the Super Bowl than any other team. Why is that? Why is America suddenly behind the Bengals? I certainly haven’t heard many nice things said about the team throughout my lifetime. And yet, suddenly everyone wants them to win. Why? The answer is obvious– the Bengals are the underdog. Everyone loves an underdog. But why?
Why do we all love the underdog story? We see it all around us. We love the story of Olympians who overcame great struggle or tragedy to stand where they are today: triumphant, holding a medal while their national anthem plays. We love the story of the man who came from nothing to be a successful businessman or lawyer or doctor. You name it. The team who started out losing every game but came together to win it all. We love it. We love to root for the underdog, we love to see someone unexpected come from behind and win. Why is this?
This love of the underdog, it’s woven into our hearts. It’s like it’s a part of being human–we love to watch a team or a person overcome great odds and do what we thought was the impossible. The only plausible answer to this great human love for the underdog is that God made us this way. He made our hearts to crave this, to delight it in. In fact, the underdog story, it’s all through your bible– Moses tells Pharaoh to let my people go, David beats the giant Goliath with stones, Daniel survives the Lions Den, and ultimately Jesus conquers death after being crucified. Apparently, God also loves an underdog.
It makes me wonder though, why does he give us this love for the underdog? Why has he woven this into our very being? Perhaps because we’re all really underdogs– fighting a battle here on earth to follow Jesus, to overcome our sin and protect our hearts. Perhaps God has woven this love of the underdog into our very being so that we will fight, so that we will rise to the occasion, so that we will be that very underdog in our own lives. Maybe the love of the underdog is there so that we will protect the weak, help to uplift the marginalized, and be a voice for those who have none. Our love of the underdog has a connection to so much of what is good inside us–that desire to protect and uplift others.
But I also think it’s even more. Our love of the underdog is partly because of our innate desire to be a part of something that is bigger than ourselves. This desire to be a part of something bigger is also woven into our hearts–we see it all around us. People throw themselves into their work, or an organization, or another person, all looking for meaning, all looking to be a part of something. This desire for something more than ourselves is something that God placed in our hearts. Why? He gave us the desire for more because, well, there is more. That desire is planted there so that we can fill it with Him. He is the something more than we all crave. I was reminded of this last week when our family was finally able to return to an in-person worship service at our church. We are currently meeting in a not ideal space while our sanctuary is under construction–the sound isn’t great, the space is small and not particularly beautiful, and it’s really difficult to see if you happen to get there a few minutes late and you’re in the back. And yet, worshiping the Lord with other believers yesterday was like medicine for my soul, healing all of the pain and difficulty of the past months. Being with other believers reminded me that I’m a part of something bigger, that there is more than myself and my family, that we are all underdogs who are a part of something bigger, something beautiful.
So, as I root for the Bengals this Sunday, as I cheer on the underdog, I also cheer on each of you. May we all continue to fight as the underdog in our own lives. May we all continue to see that there is more. May we all continue to place ourselves inside the bigger story of God and delight in our part in the more that is Him.
