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Apples of Gold
Radio Script for January 27, 2010
“When We Work Together As a Unit”
Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.
FSU quarterback E.J. Manuel was here in the studio yesterday.
And I finally found out what happened on a particular play during the Gator game.
The video is all over the internet, and it’s been seen like a million times. The play begins, bodies are flying everywhere, and yet one offensive lineman doesn’t move a muscle. The entire play takes place with that lineman in the exact same position, as if frozen in time.
ESPN did a feature on it, basically mocking the lineman for not moving, for not helping out his scrambling quarterback.
And that’s all I knew about it, until yesterday. So I asked the quarterback, “What was up with that play?”
“Oh,” he said, “he did what he’s supposed to do,” and went on to describe their special freeze play.
See, the goal is to draw the defense offside, to get them to jump across the line before the ball is snapped. So the quarterback shouts a few things, then the center yells “Go!” as if he is hiking the ball.
Then the center watches to see if the defense crosses the line. If they do, he goes ahead and hikes the ball to the quarterback. Now this should be what we call a “free play.” The refs are going to throw the flag and call a penalty on the defense. But if the offense can somehow make a big play, they would have the right to decline the penalty and take the big gain. However, if they don’t make a gain, they can take the penalty and still gain yards. It’s supposed to be a win-win situation.
Now part of the strategy is to make sure the offensive lineman don’t move, don’t even flinch. If they do, the penalty may go against them instead of the defense. So, on the freeze play, the lineman are supposed to freeze, to not move a muscle. That way it will be obvious to the refs who should get the penalty.
So that’s what the Seminoles were doing in the game against the Florida Gators. The freeze play was on. The problem was, the center hiked the ball early, messing up the play. Everyone began scrambling at that point, except one lineman.
And E.J. Manuel said, “He was just doing what he was supposed to do, what they’re all trained to do.” He said, “He was exercising extreme discipline.”
Well, on that play it didn’t work out. But I went back and watched film from the North Carolina game and, sure enough, you can see all the linemen, stock still like statues for the freeze play.
That is a great illustration of what can be done when we work together.
In football we call it teamwork. In the church we call it unity. As Christians, we are called to unity. Jesus prayed in John 17, “May they be brought to complete unity…”
Romans 15:5 says, “May…God…give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ…”
Verse six says, “…so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Glorifying God in a spirit of unity. It reminds me of when I went to Promise Keepers at the Georgia Dome. There were thousands of men, glorifying God in unity. And not just in the dome. Afterwards men spilled into the streets and trains – and broke out in songs of praise!
Ephesians 4:3 says, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit…”
Verse 13 gives one goal of the church, that we all “reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God…”
This is hard enough to do in one little local church, let alone the entire body of Christ. But it is God’s desire for us, that we may be brought to complete unity.
We could accomplish so much more if we could just operate in unity!
Unity is when we operate like a unit. Think of your body as a unit – lots of pieces, but all moving in the same direction.
Ephesians 4 describes the church as a body, and it says the body thrives as “every part does its share.”
The Seminole offense is called the “offensive unit.” When they work together as a unit, great things can happen.
And when we work together as a unit in church, great things can happen. But like the Seminole linemen, it takes great discipline. Each of us has to exercise discipline, to restrict ourselves to our part of the unit, and to play our part to the best of our ability.
So think about unity today. It’s God’s desire for the church, the body of Christ, to operate in unity.
And what can we do about it? We can make sure that we are exercising discipline, to be the best part we can be in this unit we call “the body of Christ.”
Comments?
E-mail me: dougapple@wave94.com.
May God bless you today! With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
© 2010 The Arrow’s Tip
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(Proverbs 25:11 – “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”)
Why “The Arrow’s Tip”? Each morning, after diligently seeking the Lord, I write Apples of Gold. Then before I release it to the public I pray one final prayer, “Lord, send forth your arrows.” I envision Apples of Gold as arrows, tips dipped in the river of the water of life that flows from the throne of God (Rev. 22:1), sailing toward the hearts and minds of men and women around the world.
Doug Apple
General Manager - Wave 94
Christian Radio for Tallahassee
PO Box 4105
Tallahassee, FL 32315
(850) 926-8000
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