Congratulations, Sam!

Of course we are all proud of Oklahoma's most recent Heisman trophy winner, Sam Bradford. He is a graduate of Putnam City North, one of the two schools in our Square Mile.

What struck me when the finalists were announced a couple of weeks ago was the similarities among the three. They are all underclassmen. This will probably become the norm as fewer premier athletes complete their entire college eligibility before going pro. They are all quarterbacks in charge of powerhouse offenses. Their statistics made great cases for each of them to be potential winners.

But what was immediately apparent was the quality of character each of these fine young men exhibited. Each of them readily professed his faith and was ready to give the majority of credit for his success to others. And finally, each of them had moms and dads who were involved in their entire lives. It is so incredibly important that children know that the unconditional love of parents is a non-negotiable.

In this day we live in, with so many families in peril, many children live in situations without positive male role models. I applaud the single mom for the incredible influence she exerts in the lives of her children. She sacrifices everything to protect and provide for the children. But nearly all single moms know that there is a part of her children's development that must come from men. That is where the men of the church must step in. We must be alert to times when we can come alongside the single mom and offer help; not to replace the father, but to give assistance in being a resource to both mother and child to provide guidance, friendship, and time and be a positive male influence in the lives of children.