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Tuesday, Coach Nick Saban and his Alabama Crimson Tide football team went to the White House to be honored as national college football champions. While with the president, the team laid hands on the president and prayed for him.
The only team member not in attendance was absent due to a death in his family.
All of them must be Republicans, right?
Nope. This is about leadership. Not politics. Much can be learned from this event.
As you probably know if you follow sports, Alabama won the national college football championship last season.
Traditionally sports teams that win championships are honored by whoever is president in a gathering at the White House.
In recent years, athletes---professional and college--who disagree with or dislike the current president decline to attend, tell the press why---then the press dutifully reports their feelings about the president to we the people. Especially if the president is a Republican.
However, this week Coach Nick Saban and his team proved how special it is having the opportunity to visit the White House.
President Trump welcomed them and congratulated them on the victory. This was indeed a special moment. But what happened following the brief ceremony, is a profile in leadership.
Leadership by the coach.
The entire team was present, except for Terrell Lewis, who grew up just 25 miles from the White House. He was absent because of a death in his family. Otherwise, he was planning to be there.
100% participation. That's what champions do.
The entire team was not there because they are all Republicans. Coach Saban had met with the team and explained the importance of the honor, and the importance of the White House---regardless of personal political views. He explained it was not about politics, it was about being honored---and honoring.
Alabama.com says, "There was no controversy within the locker room when the football program accepted the invitation to attend."
One of the players said, "Coach Sabin said 'Hey we're doing this regardless of your political thoughts. We're going, just to celebrate the team. It's an honor. And just to be able to say you've been to the White House is something you can cherish forever'."
End of matter.
Class act.
Leadership by the players.
All the players respected the leadership of the coach and his position enough to become leaders themselves in doing the right thing. They showed the millions of kids (and adults) watching their actions that leaders sometimes do what is right whether they agree politically or not.
Also, a class act.
Leadership by the Christians on the team.
On the flight to visit the White House, punter JK Scott was listening to a worship song---when he felt compelled to pray for President Trump.
"God loves President Trump," the 22-year-old told Fox News' Todd Starnes Wednesday on his radio show. He says, "The Lord laid on my heart to pray for him."
After the ceremony, he says, "I walked up to him shook his hand and said, 'Mr. Trump, would you let me pray for you?' He looked at me and said, 'Yeah--come on'."
As President Trump stood on the White House lawn he was surrounded by a mountain of young men dressed in suits, black men, white men, their hands on each other's backs---interceding on behalf of their president.
Scott says, "Those were all my teammates. As soon as President Trump gave us permission, we all laid hands on him and gathered around and we all started praying for him."
The young Christian football player said, "The Lord wants to give him some peace."
A class act. And hope in our next generation of Christian leaders.
Contrast this with the chaos, confusion, and near anarchy in many schools today---with undisciplined, uninformed, indoctrinated students leading teachers and administrators who themselves are either confused, hardcore activists or intimidated to silence---with a far Left biased press cheering them on.
The students are walking out of school when they feel so inclined to march against everything from guns to whites to Christians to authority figures---then retreating to their "safe spaces" so as not to be offended by anyone who disagrees with them.
When it comes to college football, I'm not an Alabama fan---I'm sticking with my Northwest favorites.
But I, and hopefully you can be a fan of this kind of leadership.
Be Informed. Be Vigilant. Be Encouraged. Be Prayerful.