We’ve watched competitions of various kinds and cheered for those who seemed to succeed despite the odds against them.

In the Olympics, we saw many such stories, such as the struggling story of young Gabby Douglas who fought the odds and naysayers to become an Olympic Champion, or the success of thousands of people around the nation who excelled despite what the critics, analysts, and naysayers thought. It’s really exciting when the devil sets out to destroy your dream and you defy him on every hand.

   We are often attracted to the underdogs! These are the people who are not given any chance at success, but they do it anyway. The pages of history are filled with underdogs who beat the odds. Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordon, Barack Obama, Wilma Rudolph, Booker T. Washington, and Condoleezza Rice are just a few who seemed to defy the skeptics and achieve success in their various fields, despite the odds. It’s as if the world threw every possible obstacle in their way but they succeeded anyway.

   When we read the bible, it appears that the underdogs have usually tried to be on God’s side of life. David was an underdog. Samson was one man against thousands. Gideon only had 300 men and the chances of Esther becoming queen of Persia and saving her people were a million to one. Underdogs have often chosen God’s side and God has rewarded them.