I’m a fan of the “Rocky” movies. Most of us are. We like the thought of the underdog overcoming all odds to win. It resonates within each one of us. We’ve all had a moment or two where we too have overcome and have stood victorious. Rocky is you. Rocky is me.

My favorite movie of the series is the last one, “Rocky Balboa.” It’s much more than Sly Stallone realizing that he didn’t do us any favors with making “Rocky V.” Sly made up for it and sent out our hero the way that he should go out…a winner and loved by his fans. What I personally enjoyed about this movie were the little, life lessons that Rock taught to those around him. Rocky was a very raw fighter early on in his career. He needed someone to believe in him. Mickey did. He trained Rocky and showed him the ropes. He saw in Rocky what no one else did…a champion. Rocky is older now. He’s fought the battles. He has his scars and those scars tell a story. Now, the fighter becomes the trainer. He has a son who doesn’t want to fight. But, Rocky knows that, like him, his son just needs someone to believe in him. Only this time his son is facing a far more dangerous opponent than Clubber Lang or Ivan Drago. His son is fighting the battle of life and Rock knows that his son can win.

Rocky says, “I’d hold you up to say to your mother, “this kid’s gonna be the best kid in the world. This kid’s gonna be somebody better than anybody I ever knew.” And you grew up good and wonderful. It was great just watching you, every day was like a privilege. Then the time come for you to be your own man and take on the world, and you did. But somewhere along the line, you changed. You stopped being you. You let people stick a finger in your face and tell you you’re no good. And when things got hard, you started looking for something to blame, like a big shadow. Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you’re hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!

Many of you are facing challenges every day. You’re getting hit from all sides. There are some days when you just want to pull a Roberto Duran and throw your hands up in the air and say, “No Mas” (No More!). I understand. I truly do. Your knees have hit the ground one too many times. There seems to be no answer for the jabs and uppercuts of life. Enough is enough. This is the time in the fight where you turn to your Trainer and rely upon His strength. Rocky may have had his scars but they don’t compare to the scars of Jesus. He was beaten beyond recognition. He knew of the pain that He would have to endure and yet step by agonizing step, with the cross on His back, he made His way up the long path to the hill where He would be crucified. On that day He kept moving forward. Your face, my face, embedded in His mind, “I’m doing this for Jamie. I’m doing this for Sarah. I’m doing this for Ethan. I’m doing this for Julie. I’m doing this for Nathan. I’m doing this for Claude. I’m doing this for Linda.” On that day He WON!

You will too!