Huddle Up!

Carry each other’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

This week marks the beginning of another season of football for colleges around the country, so it’s time to Huddle Up and get ready. Of course, this household will be “barking like Dawgs” while adding a few “Hotty Toddy” cheers in the mix to honor the majority of our family’s allegiance. Football has been a favorite sport of mine since high school days when my cousin played and subsequently taught me the rules so I could critique his performance in games!

There are many things about the game which remain a mystery, but nothing more so to me than the question, “why do players huddle and what goes on in there?” We all know what a huddle looks like on the field. Basically, it is a tightly formed circle of players in which the team strategizes, motivates, and celebrates. The center calls the huddle, and the players gather around him while the quarterback calls the next play, and the team uses that time to make adjustments. These days our grandson plays center and calls the huddle so our eyes are on him, but I still wonder what all happens in there??

The huddle began in the 1890’s when a deaf quarterback by the name of Paul D. Hubbard, who played at Gaudett University, developed the concept. He and his teammates would gather regularly during the game to discuss strategy, but they had to communicate using sign language. This method made it really easy for the opposing team to pick up on the signs and catch key information just by observing them. One day, Hubbard had an idea which changed sports forever! He asked the players to form a circle so that everyone could exchange information and put their strategy in place in absolute privacy, thus the huddle was born! Although the concept has been tweeked a little, the premise of close team communication and self organization for a common goal remains the same.

Huddling Up makes me think of different groups in my life who have used this same idea to work together. Groups such as team members in school, small groups of new Church friends, or our small group of long time friends. These groups huddle up to give other members a hand up when one of us is down because no one should have to face life alone. We would all be in real trouble if we had no one to pick us up when we fall. We huddle up and motivate.

We huddle up to talk through a situation, be objective, offer counsel, and exhibit love. We huddle up to strategize. Proverbs 27:9 says, “The sweetness of a friend gives delight by hearty counsel”. Sometimes family members are just too close and as much as they want to help, they can’t be objective. It’s easier to open up sometimes to somebody who has another perspective to help us strategize through our situation.

We huddle up to hold each other accountable. Sometimes we all act or move in a way that is contrary to God’s word. It’s easy to fool ourselves into thinking that we are on the right path when we are not. It takes a huddle to offer advice and point us in the right direction. The huddle is there for us.

We huddle up to celebrate and laugh. Someone once said, “If you have no wrinkles, you haven’t laughed enough.” There’s nothing like a huddle to help us find the humor in situations usually because many of us already been there. Hazel Lee said, “Laughing at ourselves as well as with each other brings a surprising sense of togetherness.”

One of the best things God does is provide Godly huddles along this game of life. These folks are the ones who are always willing to huddle up to strategize, motivate, hold us accountable, and celebrate! Thank God for those He has placed in our huddles to be encouragers and supporters! Let’s Huddle Up!