Playing by the Character of the Number
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has a big mouth. He is known to make outrageous statements. He is also a big player. He stands tall as an extraordinarily gifted player. So when it was announced that he would be returning to football with Manchester United after a long injury lay-off, the world was curious to see him back in action. Due to the uncertainty of his return during his time undergoing treatment, his No. 9 shirt had been given to newly signed Romelu Lukaku and the club announced he would be wearing the No 10 shirt vacated by Wayne Rooney.
As the world awaited his return, Zlatan gave a hint of a new role based on a switch in his shirt number, playing as a creative player behind the No 9. Hitherto he had played as a true No 9 and analysts felt he would continue to play that role despite the new shirt number. However the big Swede told journalists, “I feel like a 10. To me, the No.10 is the star. The one who makes the difference, gets noticed, wins the matches and is the leader. And I see myself in that position but it is not something that is given to you, it is just something you are, that’s just the way it is. I feel like a ten and I stand for No.10. It will go down in history that I always had No.10.” That was on the 12th of November, 2017.
In an interview on 22nd December, his coach agreed with him on his suitability for the role and in showing confidence in the big Swede, Jose Mourinho played as No. 10 in the Boxing day fixture against Burnley. That selection backfired spectacularly. Poor movement, little artistry, absence of dynamism, tentative runs and little energy. He had to be pulled off with his team trailing at home by two goals!
Like shirt numbers in soccer, most numbered entities in life come with specifications that define their nature. Time and seasons, similarly numbered based on natural cycles and conventions established in our calendars have their own divinely ordained nature. As we launch into the time period numbered 2025, there are a few lessons from Zlatan’s episode.
- The number is a label for the nature of the time period: Like football instructs, every number conjures an imagery of the role. The No. 9 is a goal scorer. The No. 10 is a playmaker. The roles attached to the number are defined by the coach and team culture. At times, players wear numbers but play roles that are different from those assigned to those numbers. The same applies to our numbered periods. Every year has a nature and character and it must be clearly defined before launching. We all, beyond our entry into the period tagged 2025, must enter into the nature and the play of 2025. At Global Harvest, it’s a year to POSSESS OUR POSSESSIONS!
- There is a different skill requirement: The skill requirement for the No 9 is different from the No. 10. The skill for 2025 is also different from that for 2024. As Zlatan changed shirt number at the beginning of the season and team role against Burnley, did he have the required skills for the new role? Do you have the skill for 2025?
- There is a different preparation requirement: Zlatan might have the skill-set to pull off the role under normal circumstances but this was his first Premier League start in nearly nine months and, with his body still showing significant signs of wear and tear as a result of his long injury lay-off, he was unable to provide the artistry and sharpness normally demanded of the creative man playing behind a main striker. Even if you have the skill for 2025, have you sharpened that skill with the right spiritual, intellectual, emotional and physical conditioning?
- There are instruction requirements: In every tactical set-up, the coach gives specific instructions for every role. The instructions for each role are clearly different. The instructions for the No 9 are very different from that of the No 10. It was Jose Mourinho’s job to instruct Zlatan on how to transition from No 9 to No 10. It is the job of the Holy Spirit – who teaches and guides into all truth – to instruct us on switching from 2024 into 2025. We do well if we note that the wisdom, guidance and instructions we need must change as we launch into 2025.
As the Psalmist says “…teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.(Psa 90:12 ESV)”, playing the character of our year by finding the proper individual definition of the year makes us wise. Our God has finished 2025 and has expectations of what we ought to be doing. It is time to find it and play according to the character of 2025, a year that God finished before you entered.