It was the annual University winter tournament and the Otago and Canterbury rugby league teams were playing each other. Otago found themselves two players short and the champion Canterbury team were keen for a more even contest.
I was at the tournament representing Canterbury University at table tennis. My friend Mark, who was the University Rugby League hooker, asked me to help make up the numbers by playing for the Otago team.
I had never played rugby league in my life, but to help a good mate out, I agreed to play.
Early on in the game Mark received the ball. Seeing an opportunity to make an immediate impact, I lined him up from ten metres away.
I lowered my shoulder and ran towards him, launching my 60kg lean frame like a scud missile, to his hip region.
As my body thundered into him, it was like he had been hit by a ping pong ball. I abruptly bounced off him and Mark continued to run freely, completely oblivious to my attempted tackle.
Within a second or so I was left lying on the ground, dust in my mouth, clutching at thin air.
By the end of the game I would have been lucky to have made one effective tackle in our fifty to nil drubbing. I even had the ignominy of being dragged fifteen metres by a Canterbury player, as I held his legs, while he made his way to the try line to score.
I look back on that game and reflect that I was not built to play rugby league. I was made for less physical ball sports like table tennis and cricket.
David and Saul’s armour
When David rose to the challenge to confront the giant Goliath, King Saul as a soldier, asked David to try on his armour to fight Goliath with. David tried on the armour but it did not feel right, so he took it off.
1 Samuel chapter 17, verses 38 - 39
“Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armour on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. “I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off.”
David, as a young shepherd boy, was not used to carrying heavy armour. David was used to moving lightly, and was proficient with a sling and a stone.
The sling and stone were one of David’s ‘sweet spots’.
Everyone has a sweet spot
I believe that everyone was created with a sweet spot. Something unique and special that they are good at.
I wrote a song about this called The Dreamer.
Here comes the dreamer the day dreamer
This is what he was born to do
Walking down a lonely road
His stories told as his life unfolds
Lift your eyes up from the ground
Bring your flavour and your sound
Anything alive is not just breathing
It’s still dreaming of better days
You are a gift to the world
One of a kind, so don’t be fooled
Lift your arms up to the sky
It will give you a reason why
Chorus
We all have a sweet spot
We were born to be
You’re so special
You were born to be
Fly high in the sky
Have you discovered something that you are good at?
What is your sweet spot?
As my life unfolds I am discovering new things that I am good at, that I never thought possible. The first forty years of my life were dominated by ball sports, but now I enjoy painting, song writing and writing.
If you are still searching for your sweet spots, remember God has created in you unique gifts.
These are for His plans and purposes. You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm chapter 139, verses 13 - 14
“For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.”
Wayne Graham worked in the media for more than 30 years before leaving to follow a call to set up The Daily Encourager, a values based media showcasing the best of New Zealand society. He has a passion for Jesus, enjoys walking, ball sports, the arts and song writing.