There was once a professional football player who made a habit of getting on his knees and praying before every game. His fellow teammates would chuckle and laugh at him, but he continued to pray unabated.
As he played, he noticed that his performance was improving by leaps and bounds. Before he knew it, he was by far the best player on the team. His teammates recognized his increase in performance and asked him to forgive them for laughing at him. He forgave them.
Before long, he was the MVP and won a multitude of awards for his performance. When he was asked to speak, he simply acknowledged Jesus. He continued to pray before every game, and he never forgot the importance of humility.
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”
1 Peter 5:6