Earlier this week a young man, 24 years of age, by the name of Keith Fitzhugh had to weigh the opportunity of a lifetime.

He was called by an NFL potential Superbowl contender, one of this year’s best teams, to get suited up and begin playing with them for the upcoming crucial games.  The team: the New York Jets.  You might be asking, “So what did he have to weigh other than a window or aisle seat in first class?”

Well you see, he’s a new employee of Norfolk Southern Railway and conducts trains for a living.  “And?”  Well, he’s just gotten the job, a job he likes, and didn’t feel right about just walking away because a more glamorous job appeared out of nowhere.  “And?”  Well, he’s been on practice squads before and he’s been released so he knows the NFL, though he’s never had a starting role.  “So this might be the big break he and his family have been waiting for!”  Maybe, maybe not.

You can watch a brief interview here.  In the mean time, here’s the salary chart for NFL players – the minimums:

When you do the math, you quickly calculate that one season, even at the lowest level, is equivalent to 10 years at Norfolk Southern.

Gulp.  “So let me get this right: a young man who’s dreamed of playing football all his life, who would receive at least an awesome ’2 seasons’ salary ($470K), capped with a chance to play in this year’s Superbowl decided to stay home so he could drive trains?  This is the chance of a lifetime!  What a fool!”

And you would not find yourself alone.  Many young men would gladly shave off ten years of their life for this very same chance.  Coached by Rex Ryan?  On a team of great players?

Instead, he staying home.  Keith’s father is disabled and his mom was the only one working when he got released from the Jets previously.  He actually likes what he does, though it’s not glamorous and doesn’t come with screaming fans and lots of money.  It seems that, though young, he sees things for what they are.

This story couldn’t help but remind me of another ‘fool’ in scripture.  His name was Moses:

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.  By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.  By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.

We live in a day-and-age when even Christians presume that every open door is a door opened by God.  If it’s ‘good’ it must be from God…  but that’s pragmatism at best.  Moses could have reasoned, “Once I become Pharaoh, here’s what I’ll do: I’ll release my people then and, to ensure they’re not harmed, I’ll send a personal escort alongside them to the Promised Land.”  He could have had it all worked out and been the deliverer single-handedly, saving himself all the trouble of traipsing 40 years through the desert.

But he “refused”, then “chose” a different course.  Why?  Because he saw things for what they were: the glory of suffering the reproach that comes with following Christ weighed infinitely more than all the trinkets in Egypt.

To make a decision based on principle is so striking in our day that this man’s story is being broadcast on every major news channel.  It makes the news for one reason: 99.9% of us, when presented with something we might have longed for, would not think twice before taking it.  It’s so fascinating because it’s incomprehensible.  It’s admirable because it’s so rare.  We stop for a moment because we all know what we would do “if I had a million dollars.”

But as another young man once said:

“He is no fool, who gives up what he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose.” (Jim Elliot, killed in the Amazon at age 29)

At the end of the day this is just football, though it is a game that has become a religion to many millions.  But it sheds light on how we make decisions.  Do we do so in accordance with our will or God’s?  What factors do we weigh and how much weight do we give to each?  Do we willingly choose the difficult path, not because we are sadists, but because we know this is what the Lord has ordained?  Or are we in continual search of comfort, security and ease?

As Coach Rex Ryan said, “This kid’s got character.  “That’s one of the reasons why we wanted that kid.”  Indeed.