I am currently hurtling through 5 seasons of the American TV drama Friday Night Lights. It’s a premise that I know little to nothing about, the sport and politics of American high school football, but the characters, storylines, and some of the best acting I’ve seen around, make it a must watch in my books. It’s a TV show refreshing for its uniqueness in that it’s based in a secondary school but isn’t afraid to graduate it’s students, cycling the cast around to a whole new group of 20 somethings playing 15 year olds, but what I most enjoy is the character interaction and what I’m learning about becoming a better youth worker by tuning in. Coach Eric Taylor, played by Kyle Chandler, is an incredible leader, and along with his wife Tami (Connie Britton), they make a Dillon, Texas youth-work power-couple.
My favourite scene happens when Tami and Eric are sitting in a bar mid season 3. He is struggling with his job, and the difficulties his students and players are facing. She turns to Him and gently encourages him with the words “you are a moulder of men”.
Eric Taylor cares deeply for his players. He cares for them not just because his reputation is pinned on their ability to spiral a football, but because he wants to see them grow strong in character and integrity. This is a man who sees the big picture for those in his charge. He challenges them to be the men he knows they are able to be. He pushes them harder than anyone else around them. He fights for them, he opens his home to them, he drives hours in the middle of the night to come to their rescue when there’s no one else for them to turn to.
He is trying to be a good coach, and by doing that, he’s setting them an example to be the best they can be.
I’m challenged to love those who I work with like Coach Eric Taylor. If he treated his job as a job rather than a calling, his life would be much easier, he would have a lot more time and energy to himself, it would cost him less.
But those young men grow up and graduate knowing they had someone who believed in them. Someone who fought for them.
That’s who I want to have the drive to be.
I am no Eric Taylor. At times he seems perfect. Always knowing the right thing to say and do. But thankfully I don’t have to be him. My job isn’t to point to me, it’s not to encourage those I work with to follow me, it’s to point to Jesus. I have to believe in and fight for them, like Coach did for Smash, Matt, Jason, Tim & Vince, but ultimately I point them to the one who fought, who died and who lives for them, Jesus.
And he’s even better than the Coach. Even he would agree.
