Yesterday, I told you that the opening devotionals for this week were going to be sports related. It’s not that I’m some football junkie. It’s just that these stories have triggered some important lessons that we need to learn and apply.
Return with me to that Big Ten Championship game where Ohio State loses to the Indiana Hoosiers, 10-13. I know…some of you are saying, “Don’t remind us!!!! With less than three minutes left in the final quarter, they could have at least tied the game, forcing overtime. This moment rested on the shoulders of kicker Jayden Fielding. He was to attempt a 27-yard field goal, which isn’t all that much in college or professional football. Last January, he made a 46-yard field goal and a 49-yard field goal against Purdue back in November.
All eyes watched as Fielding’s kick sent the ball wide left of the goal posts. What went wrong? How did he miss it? I am no expert and I couldn’t tell you what mechanics were off that sent the ball sailing the wrong way. There is a possible Biblical explanation, though.
Cameras are everywhere at these games and with nearly every person in the stadium possessing a smartphone, that means there’s close to 63,000 cameras and over 19 million watching at home. Just before Fielding would take the field, he was caught by cameras bantering with Indiana fans, playful taunting back and forth. His head was NOT in the game! Fielding was just casually walking around with his attention on the fans instead of the game.
While I don’t know if there are any more reasons than this, it was obvious that Fielding was distracted and the ease of distraction displays a pride that should not be. I’m not adding to the haters and detractors of Jayden Fielding. I’m merely using what happened to him as a warning to us as believers.
Christians, we have to be focused on the task at hand. Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” And Proverbs 4:25 says, “Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.” It’s too easy to get distracted in this life. So many things are happening around us, even good things that can be detrimental to our walk with the Lord. We must establish a clear focus and stay focused.
Another truth comes from 1 Corinthians 10:12. “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” It’s too easy to slip into being over confident. We think we’ve gotten beyond certain sins and don’t have to worry about them anymore. Very quickly and embarrassingly, we fall flat on our faces. Thankfully, we don’t typically do it before 19 million viewers, however, we tend to do it in front of the ones we love the most. This is a fall that hurts worse than missing a 27-yard field goal attempt.
As we go through life, let’s keep our eyes set on the Lord and stay humble. Remember, trials are going to come so let’s not get comfortable. We need to resist, remembering the promise of 1 Corinthians 10:13. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
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