Yesterday we considered that vision can keep us going. Paul had one when he was in Corinth, and Cooper Kupp apparently had one after the Rams lost the Super Bowl in 2019. My friend and former pastor John Ed Mathison wrote about Cooper Kupp:

He came out of high school, and no big colleges were interested in him. He wasn’t fast enough, big enough, or talented enough. He was just a skinny kid about six feet tall and 170 pounds and played football in an area that wasn’t known for great competition. Only two small schools from the FCS offered him a scholarship. He accepted one to Eastern Washington.

When he came out of college, not many pro teams were interested in him. He was underrated and overlooked, but the Los Angeles Rams took a chance and drafted him. Wow, what a great move! In the 2021 football season, he was the best receiver in the NFL. He achieved the triple crown of catches (145), touchdown catches (16), and receiving yards (1947). In the Super Bowl, he led a last-minute comeback by catching multiple passes despite double coverage. He caught the winning touchdown pass with just over a minute to go. He was voted the most valuable player in Super Bowl LVI!

He is a strong Christian. He places Bible verses on his helmet and his sleeve. He always gives a Christian witness when being interviewed. When asked about his Super Bowl ring, he said that, as a Christian, he wanted to win in the game of life where he would receive a trophy that would never perish.Look what God can do! God took Cooper Kupp from an underrated and overlooked player to the best player on the biggest stage in pro football, and Cooper gives God all the credit. – John Ed Mathison, February 16, 2022

If we’re not careful we might miss other underrated people:

After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. (Acts 18.1 – 3, ESV)

Priscilla and Aquila, just working class people in Corinth, and Paul lived and worked with them…making tents. (?) Yes, but more than tents. Paul was training them while they worked:

And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them…and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila… And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there. (Acts 18.11, 18, 19, ESV)

Paul added Priscilla and Aquila to his traveling team, and he deposited them in Ephesus to do what? Make more tents? It doesn’t seem so:

Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. (Acts 18.24 – 26, ESV)

So two tentmakers, working class people, take an eloquent, but poorly informed, public speaker and trained him. The result was that Apollos left Ephesus and went to Corinth!

When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia [the province containing Corinth], the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah. (Acts 18.27, 28, NIV)

For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1.11 – 12, ESV)

Apollos made such an impression in Corinth that there was rivalry among the Corinthians (not a good thing!) about who was the better teacher: Paul or Apollos or Cephas (Peter). But let’s review:

Paul -> Priscilla and Aquila (underrated tentmakers!) -> Apollos

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2.2, NIV)