I was sitting in church one time… daydreaming (yes, I know, I should have been laser-focused on the sermon). I noticed a banner over the exit door to the left of the platform. It had the word “N I K A” on it in big capital letters. I had probably learned that Greek word in seminary but you can forget a lot in four decades.
I found out that it means “victory”. That’s why the huge sports company “Nike” chose the word (implication: buy our product and you’ll be a winner!). As I considered the Nike trademark, I then made a profound observation— the checkmark goes down before it goes up. Hmmm.
Joseph
This biblical patriarch knew a bit about going down. Born into a big (and well-to-do) family, Joseph was his father’s favorite. Young Joseph insensitively shared dreams with his brothers, and his father, Jacob, unwisely only gave him a beautiful coat. His older brothers became very jealous and hateful. This led them one day to sell him off as a slave to traders heading to faraway Egypt.
Afraid and alone, Joseph never gave up his faith and excelled as a servant with increasing responsibility. However, his master’s wife tried to seduce him but he resisted and fled the house. She falsely accused him of assault and he landed up in prison. Again, he trusted God, helped other prisoners, and was given greater responsibility. One released prisoner (that he had helped) promised to return the favor but forgot him instead.
Hated, sold, enslaved, falsely accused and forgotten. That’s a long, downward stroke. But then on one incredible (literally: unbelievable) day, he rose from prison to Prime Minister. His powers in Egypt were only eclipsed by Pharaoh himself. That’s an even longer stroke up (you can read the whole story in detail in Genesis chapters 37 to 50).
Daniel
We see the same pattern centuries later with young Daniel. Born into a privileged Hebrew family in Jerusalem, tragedy struck. Babylon conquers his nation and Daniel is exiled far to the east (Iraq today). Afraid and alone, Daniel becomes a slave but doesn’t give up his faith. That too is a harsh, downward stroke.
But Daniel works hard, develops his God-given abilities, refuses to compromise his values, and rises in both position and power. He also experiences hatred, jealousy and deceit from others along the way but emerges victorious each time (the long stroke up). He eventually serves under five foreign kings and prophesies the coming of a very special Person — the Son of Man (you can read the whole story in the Old Testament book of Daniel).
Jesus
He is the “Son of Man” that Daniel foresaw six centuries before. The apostle Paul summarizes the trajectory of Jesus’ life in one famous biblical text. In his letter to the Philippian church, he writes that even though Jesus was “in very nature God”, he became a man. But not just any kind of man. He took “the very nature of a servant” and “humbled himself”. That humility led to his death at the young age of 33. But not just any kind of death. Jesus suffered the worst kind possible — “death on a cross” (see Philippians 2:6-8). That’s a four-step stroke downward.
But, then we come to verses 9-11. “Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” You can’t get an upward stroke better than that!
So what?
So, what does all this have to do with you and me? Everything. Joseph and Daniel are great role models for us in how to cope with life’s adversities. Don’t give up and keep the faith.
But, more importantly, their faith in God (and prophecies of Jesus) point us to Someone who can bring true meaning, purpose and victory to our lives. The next time you see (or wear) the Nike symbol, remember Jesus and follow the “down-up” checkmark to Him.
Rob Weatherby is a retired pastor.
