A Champion...

This story is not about my kid. It's about someone else's kid. Someone else's kid that I don't even know, but his impact on me has been huge, and that's putting it mildly.

My kid is the one in green, he finished fourth at the state tournament. He wrestled hard and left everything he had on the mat. I am so proud of him. The kid the story is about, is the one in red. He finished second. A great wrestler, a strong competitor, an athletic force to be reckoned with...but the impact he made on the mat had nothing to do with his athletic abilities, and everything to do with his heart.

His name is Cody, and I know nothing about him except what I have seen, and what I have seen is stunning. For me, the story begins a few weeks ago. My oldest son, Brey, wrestled at Jefferson High School. I worked that evening and when he returned home, I asked him how his match had gone. "I got pinned", he said. "Bummer", I responded, "how did that happen?" He responded, "he's last year state champ, he's undefeated, a great wrestler, his name is Cody Manzi."

Cody didn't cross my mind again until the district wrestling tournament 2 weeks later. Our family traveled over to Harrisburg, OR, to watch Brey compete for a chance to go to State. Brey wrestled hard and made it to the championship match. His opponent for first place in the 3A district championship was Cody Manzi. Just like most wrestling moms, I anxiously waited in the stands and sized up the competition. I watched Cody as he prepared to wrestle Brey. The competetive spirit in me hoped that Brey would beat him. He didn't. Cody pinned Brey, again, and both of them advanced to the State Tournament. On the long drive home, we discussed strategies for beating Cody. We discussed his strengths and talked about how he probably hadn't faced a challenging opponent in some time. We hoped he would at the State Tournament...

He did.

It wasn't my kid. It was someone else's who faced Cody, but I couldn't wait to see it. Brey finished fourth, so he was done wrestling for the season. We climbed into our seats and waited for the championship rounds to begin. I didn't care about anyone else's match, I was waiting for Cody's. I wanted to see him wrestle a really tough match, and that's exactly what I got.

The boy who wrestled Cody for the District 3A State Championship Title brought everything he had. He wrestled his heart out. He gave everything he had. He fought hard when most would have given up. He is worthy of much praise and congratulations. But my story is not about him...it's about the boy who lost. It's about Cody...

As I watched and cheered for the underdog, Cody fought for his title. He wrestled hard, struggled to strategize and tried to control a determined opponent. But like all of us, Cody is human. He met a better wrestler that day and ultimately lost his title. It should have been a tragedy for Cody Manzi...but it wasn't. As the stunned crowd looked on, Cody Manzi did something absolutely amazing. He loved...

When Cody realized his defeat was certain, he began clapping his hands. In the center of a packed arena, with all eyes on his match, he began clapping his hands in celebration of his opponent's success. When he finished clapping he grabbed his opponent's hand and he raised it to the ceiling proclaiming his stunning victory! The joy on his face was so pure it was contagious. I couldn't take my eyes off of him as he congratulated the winner, hugged the officials and both coaches and ran off the mat, leaving the new state champion to enjoy his fame.

Humbled, is the only word that can describe my heart at that moment. A seventeen year old boy had taught this old girl a lesson in the love of Christ. I love the Lord with all that I am, but I know myself well enough to know that I would not have had the strength that that boy had in that moment. That only comes from heaven...

When met with the challenge, Cody Manzi "loved thy neighbor as thyself". And the result was sobering to a self centered generation focused on winning. The event in that stadium was far greater than physical strength and accomplishment. It was a spiritual challenge given to Cody, that he met with more fortitude than any match he ever wrestled. The impact goes beyond anything he will ever understand, but his willingness to be used by God definitely qualifies him as a champion.

Congratulations Cody, I'm so proud you!