A short story

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men (Col 3 v 23)

Billy was a young keen football fan. He was 12 years of age and was part of the under 13's West United football team. He was very slight in stature and although being 12 years of age he could quite easily be mistaken for a 10 year old. Every week Billy without fail would show up to soccer practice. He was the most committed member of the team and even when it rained/hailed/or snowed Billy was there with his striped top and socks pulled up above his knees. Other players often didn't show up when the weather was poor and didn't show the same level of commitment that Billy showed.

Every Saturday West United would play a competitive game against another local side. Billy was not much good at football and never made the starting team. This set back didn't however effect Billy's attitude and his commitment. He continued to come and sit on the bench, week in - week out. His father would come and sit in the stands as billy would sit on the bench. Billy never played a single game.

One day the trainer of the club received a phone call from a neighbour to say that Billy's father had been brought to intensive care after suffering a heart attack. He could tell by the tone of his neighbours voice that it was very serious. The following day, on the 12th of February, Billy's father passed away. At the funeral the church was packed out and some of the soccer team showed up to pay their respects. Billy was in floods of tears and he bravely placed a soccer badge on the coffin of his deceased father.

Next weeks local soccer game was against Uniteds biggest rivals and possibly the most significant game of the season. All the guys were sitting around the dressing room, nervously lacing their boots and eager to get out on the field. There was a space by the locker where Billy usually sat and despite the excitement of competing in this big game, there was also a somewhat somber mood in the dressing room. With just 15 minutes to kick off no-one expected what happened next. Billy arrived at the dressing room door. He apologized for being a little late and the response he got was one of dead silence. Only a week ago his father, who had come to all the games had died and never seen him play and now Billy shows up to play. The coaches were stunned and talked amongst each other. They couldn't possibly make Billy sit on the bench again! However this was such a big game and lets face it, Billy is not very good at football. Finally they look to Billy and say, "Billy we want you to play, right side of midfield". Billy's face lights up and he quickly gets changed and ready to go.

The game kicks off and Billy looks to the empty seat in the stand where his father once sat. The coaches wonder if Billy is focused on the game or struggling with his loss. The ball falls to the feet of Billy and he takes off. He goes by one, slips the ball through the feet of a second defender and drives the ball towards the goal. The keeper stumbles and the ball crashes into the back of the net. GOAL!!! Billy puts the side a goal up and the place erupts. No-one can quite believe that this scrawny guy who never played a single game before this, has just scored the opening goal. The game continues and Billy is playing incredibly well. He finishes the game, scoring a hattrick and when the final whistle blows his team mates lift him up above their heads. He is overcome with joy and is awarded with the man of the match trophy.

His coaches cannot comprehend how this little boy could put in such a big performance and not be effected by the loss of his father. Coach Reilly says to Billy, "Son, this is the first time you have played and the only time your father wasn't here to see you. How could you still play so well?"

Billy looked at his coach and said "sir my father was blind. He didn't come here every week to see me play. He came to show me support. He would not have been able to see me play last week or the week before that, but you know what.... today he saw me play".