PITTSBURGH, Pa. (BP)–Derrick Mason likely will be on the receiving end of a few passes Saturday when the Baltimore Ravens take on the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The veteran wide receiver hopes others, from a faith standpoint, will be on the receiving end in a relationship to God.
“Give your life over to Christ as quickly as possible,” Mason says in a video testimony at BeyondTheUltimate.org, a website for Christian athletes and coaches. “It would be the best thing you have ever done in your life. You might not see the change instantly, but I think as you start to grow in Christ, you’ll start seeing the changes that God is making in your life.”
Mason and the Ravens will play the Steelers in an AFC divisional matchup between two rivals from the AFC North. The Ravens and Steelers each finished with a 12-4 record on the season, but the Steelers were the division champs. Baltimore defeated Kansas City 30-7 Jan. 8 in the AFC wild card round.
Mason, in his 14th NFL season, became a Christian during his college days at Michigan State but said he soon strayed from the Lord due in part to a lack of teaching and discipleship.
During his time with the Tennessee Titans, however, Mason rededicated his life to the Lord. He said a chaplain for the Titans was instrumental in his life.
“I want to give my life back over to Christ,” Mason told the chaplain one day. “I want to live the way that God has called me to live.”
The results of faith?
“You’ll see some of the things that have weighed you down, you’ll see some of those weights being lifted up off your back,” Mason says in the video. You’ll see lives being changed. You’ll see family members being changed. You’ll see an impact that you will have over people that you never thought you would even come in contact with.”
To those who turn to Christ, Mason counsels, “… then find someone that genuinely, genuinely loves God to be a mentor to help you along the way as you go forward.”
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For information about receiving new life in Jesus Christ, call 1 888 JESUS-2000 or visit thegoodnews.org. Compiled by BPSports editor Tim Ellsworth, who also is director of news and media relations at Union University in Jackson, Tenn. For more sports stories, go to www.bpsports.net.
