It was 1993 and I was in the 5th grade. Thanksgiving was here, as was a rare snow/ice storm in Dallas, Texas. Along with Thanksgiving came football. This game was the Cowboys against the Dolphins. I remember that game quite well, as do most people who watched it that day.
The Boys were ahead, not by much, with only a few seconds left on the clock. The Dolphins kicked a field goal, which was then blocked by the Boys. While they were celebrating, Leon Lett went after the ball, only to lose it and the Dolphins regained control of the ball and kicked a successful field goal for the win.
Cowboy fans were devastated. But I remember when I went back the school the following Monday, each one of us 5th graders wrote a letter to Jimmy Johnson to let him know we still supported the Boys and how we weren't mad at Leon Lett. I don't remember everything I wrote in my letter, but I do remember saying how I did not blame Lett for the lose. It could have happened to anyone. We actually received a response from Jimmy Johnson. It was pretty awesome!
Twenty years have passed. Yet if you Google Leon Lett, you will find this story. He was an excellent player who made a few mistakes in the game. But this mistake is the one that is highlighted in his career. Nothing he can do will change it or erase it. It is forever in the minds of the fans, players, viewers. It has gone down in history.
His mistake will not be erased out of the books.
Nolan Ryan was one of the best pitchers on the Texas Rangers. While he pitched for the Rangers, he had 6 shut outs and 939 strike outs. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999. And he is currently the owner of the Rangers. But according to his stats, he has committed 90 errors over his whole career, 5 of which were in Texas. (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/ryanno01.shtml)
As great of a player as Nolan Ryan was, he still has errors attached to his record in baseball. They cannot be erased or hidden. They are there for everyone to see.
I am a player on the team human race. Have been for a few decades now. My stats are being recorded in a Book in Heaven. The good, the bad, and the ugly. But something that is amazing about my stats versus the stats of Leon Lett and Nolan Ryan: When I repent of my errors and ask for forgiveness, they are erased from the Book. 1 John 1:9 says "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgives us our sins and cleanse of all unrighteousness."
It doesn't matter how much Leon Lett and Nolan Ryan ask for forgiveness. It doesn't matter how much they repent of their errors. The mistakes and errors will always be listed on their stats. Their mistakes will always be remembered in the sporting world.
But God is a forgiving and just God. Yes, we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 2:23), but God sent His only Son to die on the cross for us so that our sins can be forgiven. So we can have eternal life (John 3:16). "Though my sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Though they are like crimson, they will be like wool." Isaiah 1:18. God will throw our sins into the depths of the sea to be forgotten (Micah 7:19).
But there is a catch. We have to ask for our sins to be forgiven. We have to confess our sins. And not to just anyone. To God. And to whomever you have hurt/offended/sinned against.
I pray that my stats are clean in the Book and my name is written in the Book of Life. This is only possible By God's Amazing Grace.
No comments:
Post a Comment