Football championships are a tradition for southwest
My alma mater,
Several years ago, Jemison returned Legion Field for the 4A
Championship against Deshler of Decatur, Deshler, as Demopolis and Sweet Water,
content for the championship annually.
Thinking back on that cold night, I remember Emmitt, a good friend,
classmate, and co-worker road to Legion Field with me.
Six years my senior, Emmitt had infectious personality, but
he had several character flaws as well.
I remember him being a ferocious fighter, but he would never finish a
fight allowing his opponent too many opportunities to win. He liked to drink beer, had a tenacity to
cuss, and loved football even though he never played that much.
Emmitt was a good and intelligent worker. He always did a good job and the supervisors
knew they could depend on him. He was
one of the utility men used to re-brick the cement kilns, which was a very
tedious and vital job for the process of making cement.
Some of the men at the plant thought it unusual that Emmitt
and I would go to the championship together knowing Emmitt’s lifestyle and
mine. One time Emmitt came to work with
two black eyes and a broke nose. When
the guys inquired of his condition, he said that his wife’s ex husband put a
38-caliber pistol between his eyes and threatened to “blow him away.” Instead, he slapped him across the nose with
the pistol. Emmitt and his wife’s ex
were usually cordial until they got to drinking and fighting. Remember, Emmitt had a tenacity to allow his
opponent an opportunity to over power him.
That was the case here.
Emmitt and I had been friends forever, had mutual kin, and
his wife was a classmate of mine. I had
witnessed to Emmitt on numerous occasions.
He always listened. That is why
the trip to Legion Field was so important.
His answer to my inquires were almost the same each time. He would say, “I want to live like I want
until I get about fifty years old. Then,
I will get saved and live for the Lord.”
I think there a bunch of folks that have that attitude. There is a major flaw to this reasoning. The Spirit of God will not always strive with
man.
Emmitt and I had a great time at Legion Field. He did not drink, smoke, or cuss when he was
with me. He did respect me as his friend
and my office as pastor. Jemison once
again fell short of the championship coming in second to Deshler. Emmitt fell short of becoming a believer.
One day while visiting The
Clanton Advertiser website obits, I saw where my friend Emmitt died with
cancer. He was well past fifty and as
far as I know never accepted Christ. I
remember the last time I saw him. It was
at his uncle’s funeral. He was about
fifty-four years old. I reminded him of
his words about being saved when he turned fifty. He relied, “One of these days.” I reminded him that I thought God was giving
him another opportunity because of the occasion of the funeral. He wanted to put it off again.
My heart broke as I read the obituary. Cancer is such a terrible disease. When I think about people dying in that
horrible condition, I cannot see how they do it without the strength of God
giving them peace and mercy.
Championships are temporary, no one remembers who is second,
unless it is one who has fallen short.
Then again, all of us have fallen short.
The Spirit of God will not always strive with man. Do not be an Emmitt.
And the Lord said, My
spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his
days shall be an hundred and twenty years. (Genesis 6:3 KVJ)
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