“…those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor…” — 1 Corinthians 12:23 (KJV)
Unsung Heroes
Every week of the NFL season, we see and hear about the highlights of each game’s top performers. Many times you will see the running back who ran for a lot of yards and scored touchdowns to help his team win.
This running back always seems to receive the glory and praise for his efforts, but little recognition goes to the unsung heroes of the game. In order for that running back to have had a big game, he first had to have his offensive line helping him and blocking for him, clearing the way for him to be able to run free. These guys who do the dirty work get little praise and honor, while they have a vital role in the team’s success.
In our own spiritual lives and walk with the Lord, there are those around us who have helped us become who we are today. It is because of their efforts and hard work that we have become a success. Yet these people, who helped us get where we are today, receive little praise and recognition for what they have done.
We need to be sure we remember where we were and where we are now, and who helped us to get there. Who are those people in your life who’ve helped you become the person you are today?
Take time to let them know you appreciate them for what they have done for you, and thank them for investing in your life.
— Jason Belcher
If you would like to submit a reader devotional, please email all submissions to jason@sportsspectrum.com.
You hear a lot about sports nutrition these days. I wish as a young person I would have had a better understanding of nutrition. I’ve yet to see butter biscuits and sweet tea on any high-profile athlete’s breakfast-of-champions list, but I’m not going to lie — it is a favorite of mine occasionally. I can’t help but think of some good advice my dad gave me recently: A lot of life is about balance. While we weren’t talking about nutrition, it applies to so many areas of life.
I understand all too well what it looks like to get out of balance when it comes to fitness. As a young person, there were times when my fitness routine involved changing the channel on the remote. As I entered high school, I became more aware of social norms and what culture valued from an appearance perspective. I started eating what I thought was better and working out more. The weight started to come off and the compliments started to come in.
It was the beginning of one of the most dangerous periods of my life because things quickly went from one extreme to the other. I would spend the next decade (DECADE!) of my life battling eating disorders. I was afraid that somehow the weight would come back, irrationally afraid, and rigid control seemed like the only way.
I relate to what Paul talks about in Romans 7:15-20, not doing what he wanted to do and choosing instead the things he hated. Sin is like that. You think you have the freedom to make choices, and the next thing you know, you realize you are not in control at all. I hated having an eating disorder.
As I look back now, I wonder what I could have accomplished had I fueled my body instead of starving it. John 10:10 tells us the “thief comes only to kill, steal and destroy,” and I don’t think we realize the many subtle ways that can happen. Ask anyone who has ever battled an addiction, even an addiction to fitness, and I think they can probably relate.
For years, I kept my eating disorder issues a secret. I tried to get well on my own. I cried. I prayed. I pleaded with God, but still I struggled. Breakthrough came, I believe, when I finally shared the truth with my husband. I think it was the beauty of 1 John 1:9 (NKJV) in action: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Confession and the faithfulness of God ushered in the healing that I so desperately needed. It was hard and painful, but worth it. It was a long time before I could share my story without shame, but I believe Romans 8:28 applies even to our failures. God has a heart to restore what is broken. He certainly did that in my story. He used it to humble me. He used it to help me be more compassionate toward those struggling with addiction, even if their chains looked different from mine.
Even as I was writing this, I saw something I don’t think I ever thought about before: how the serpent tempted Eve with fruit from the forbidden tree in the garden, and how he tempted Jesus in the wilderness with bread. Eve fell for the lie, but not Jesus. That is something that amazes me about Jesus. He had the best of Heaven, but chose to come to this fallen, broken world to become our great High Priest who knew what it was like to be tempted, even with food.
Where we would fail, even in the garden, He reigns victorious, even in the wilderness. In that, He offers us a crucial truth for all of life: Yes, fueling our bodies is important, but even more important is that we fuel our minds with the truth of God’s Word. Because as much as I like fitness, I like being free even more.
Jesus Himself used this truth in Matthew 4:4 (NKJV): “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”
Growing up, I often heard the names Mickey Mantle (American baseball center fielder), Pelé (Brazilian professional soccer/footballer) and Wilt Chamberlain (American basketball center). Each of them were legends of their day, but in time their bodies wore down with age, and a new generation of athletes replaced them, just as the Bible warned (1 Peter 1:24-25).
Jesse Owens is more known for defying the political climate of the 1936 Berlin Games than winning four gold medals (100m, 200m, long jump and 4x100m relay). Eric Liddell is more respected for his integrity and devotion to religious convictions, along with his service in China before and during World War II, than he is for winning the 400-meter gold medal and setting a new world record of 47.6 seconds. Each of their records have been broken, but the legacy they left remains an inspiration and example for those who live after them.
When we chase selfish ambition, vain conceit and treasures on earth, it’s often empty rather than satisfying. So we keep raising the standard we hope eventually will fulfill us. But God has a different way to quench that longing and it requires us to keep our eyes off ourselves (Matt 6:19-21; Philippians 2:3-4).
As a social worker and mental health therapist, I have never met a human nearing the end of their life who regretted not working more or earning more money, trophies, championships, a better job title, fame or [fill in the blank with a potential idol]. As death nears, humans usually don’t regret temporary earthly things, but how they invested their time, the legacy they leave, and the lives they touched.
The Bible is full of wisdom and instruction for how to spend a life:
What type of legacy do you want to leave behind? What is one adjustment you want to make to how you spend your life? Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.
Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop was at SEC Media Days in Tampa, Florida, this week to answer questions about the upcoming season, and he did plenty of that. The 2025 second-team All-SEC selection is expected to be a major contributor for a Volunteers team looking to get back to the College Football Playoff after missing it last season.
But that didn’t stop him from using the opportunity to talk openly about his faith in Christ as well.
“First and foremost, before we begin, I want to give all glory to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” Bishop said Monday in his opening statement during his press conference. “I can pretend like this day is about me, but it’s really about Him. Ultimately, I would not be up here without Him, and He’s been the difference in my life. I encourage anyone out there, if you’re seeking a relationship with Him, go get it, because it does make the difference in everything you do. So all glory to Him.”
Bishop ran for 1,076 yards with 16 touchdowns last season, which were good for fourth and second in the conference, respectively. Tennessee finished 8-5 and lost 30-28 to Illinois in the Music City Bowl, where he ran for 96 yards and two touchdowns.
In Monday’s press conference, a reporter later asked what led to his success last season, and once again he turned to his faith.
“First of all, my Lord and Savior, obviously, giving me the ability to do what I do and just giving me the work ethic that I have,” Bishop said. “I came up from a lot of tribs and trials just to get to the spot I am now. So I’ve got to give the glory to Him.
“And also my offensive line. I tell this all the time, ‘I’m only as good as them.’ So those dudes pave the way for me and we are returning a bunch of stars this year and a lot of the dudes from the transfer portal. I believe that will be a big contributor to my success as well.”
Later, Bishop did a one-on-one interview with SEC Network, and was asked about the importance of his faith.
“I wouldn’t be here without it,” he said. “My Lord and Savior has treated me very good — more than I honestly deserve. I don’t really deserve to be in front of y’all, but by His grace and salvation He saved me from a really dark place, a path of destruction that I was on. It was leading me down to a place I don’t need to be.
“When God swooped in and saved my life, it came with all this that I’ve received now, so all glory to Him. If you are out there and don’t know much about Him, I encourage you to at least try to find a relationship with Him because it will change your life for the better.”
Don’t be fooled by Bishop’s calm and humble demeanor, though. When he gets the ball, his goal is “to punish people.”
“I have the mindset of not getting tackled and just fighting for as much yards as I can every time I touch the ball, just utilizing every carry I get because it could be limited,” he said in his press conference.
Bishop has relied on that approach ever since he starred at Karns High School in Knoxville, Tennessee. And he’s also carried a bit of a chip on his shoulder since then. Despite rushing for 8,347 yards and 102 touchdowns over the course of his high school career — which ranked second and third all-time in Tennessee high school football history, respectively — his only scholarship offers were from Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State. Tennessee came in at the last minute offering a walk-on spot. Despite being “really irritated” at the time that it was just a walk-on offer, he took the offer and bet on himself.
After redshirting his freshman year, he served as a backup the following season, and tallied 455 yards on the ground and three touchdowns. He topped 1,000 yards for the first time in his college career last season and has his sights set on even bigger numbers this year as he enters his redshirt junior season. He’s also getting NFL Draft buzz. The Athletic ranked him No. 8 in its list of top 15 draft-eligible underclassmen.
Having to earn his scholarship the way he did has made him into the player he is now and he chalks it all up to “God’s plan.”
“All glory to God, man,” Bishop said during his press conference. “It’s truly remarkable. Not many people would think of a walk-on from Karns would probably ever reach 1,000 yards. I came into a class where if anybody thought [someone] was supposed to transfer, man, it was probably supposed to be me.
“And just all the hard work has paid off. And it feels like I haven’t even scratched the surface, honestly, of what I’m capable of. So I’m just continuing to just praise Him. Obviously He’s telling me to get back to work because there’s a lot of work to be done this season.”
Bishop wasn’t picked for any preseason SEC awards, likely because he’s in a conference with two of the best running backs in the country — Kewan Lacy of Ole Miss and Ahmad Hardy of Missouri, who were chosen ahead of him. Lacy ranks No. 1 and Hardy is No. 3 on The Athletic’s list of draft-eligible underclassmen.
Bishop’s pro future will work itself out in due time, but for now, he’s focused on making an impact in his locker room and community. This past weekend, he hosted a football camp at Karns, where faith once again took center stage. Campers wore shirts that read, “A little bit of faith. And a little bit of hard work.”
“A lot of people out here are big believers in the Lord, and I believe that’s what you’ve got to have in your life,” Bishop told the Knoxville News Sentinel. “You’ve got to be grounded in your faith. There’s a lot of things you look for to try to satisfy you in this life, but only one thing can, and that’s your Lord and Savior.”
Tennessee opens the 2026 season Sept. 5 at home against Furman.
Nishesh Basavareddy of the U.S. at the Australian Open tennis championship, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 3:13-14
One of my favorite aspects of playing tennis is that it’s a mental battle as much as it is a physical challenge.
Technique, strategy, conditioning and raw skill all matter a ton. But once the match begins, it’s often won or lost between the ears — especially at the amateur level. Even for professionals, mistakes are unavoidable, but at the recreation level, the majority of points are won and lost because one player misses a shot.
What often separates players is the ability to accept that and move on. In my years of playing and coaching, I’ve seen players who did this really well and others who allowed their mistakes to compound and completely derail their entire match. Even if you lose a point or two, you are not that far from being back in a game to win it. You have to be ready to reset mentally and play the next point.
If you carry that mistake to the next point, the match can slip away from you quickly as you start to overthink or overcorrect for something that happened several points or games ago. The refusal to let go of or learn from your mistakes can ultimately be your downfall.
The Christian walk can feel similar at times. We replay the conversation we wish we could take back or the sin struggle we thought we would’ve beaten by now. We fixate on the opportunity we missed, the season of life we think we mishandled, or the rejection we still carry.
As fallible humans, we fixate on our mistakes and think God does the same. But that’s not the truth we see in Scripture. Philippians 3:13-14 says this: “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
In another example, after denying Jesus three times, Peter had every reason to believe his failure defined him. Yet Jesus met him with restoration rather than condemnation. On the shore of Galilee, Jesus didn’t force Peter to live forever in the shadow of his worst moment. Instead, He recommissioned him.
Grace doesn’t ignore our failures, but it does refuse to let them have the final word. In other words, the last point is over. We can play the next one.
