From My Perspective - - -

What do you do when you “blow it” big time? Who is responsible if/when you stumble and fall? When you don’t wish to accept personal responsibility for an act or action, whose at fault? Well - A New Age Theology for Sports states – when you drop a game-winning pass in the end-zone – it wasn’t you who dropped it – it was God who made you miss the game-winning catch. That’s the Headline of an article by Nina Mandell in the Daily News on Sunday, November 28th, 2010 – “Steve Johnson, Buffalo Bills Wide-out, Blames God on Twitter After Dropping Game-Winning Pass.” The article states and quotes: “It wasn't his own hands or the Pittsburgh secondary Sunday that foiled Buffalo Bills wide receiver Steve Johnson from hauling in what should have been the game-winning TD catch in the end zone.It was God. I PRAISE YOU 24/7!!!!!!" the 24-year-old tweeted from his iPad at around 5:15 Sunday after the Steelers' 19-16 overtime victory. AND THIS HOW YOU DO ME!!!!! YOU EXPECT ME TO LEARN FROM THIS??? HOW???!!! ILL NEVER FORGET THIS!! EVER!!! THX THO..." The article goes on to say, “Johnson had a perfect pass in his hands that would have given his team an overtime victory over the heavily favored Steelers. Instead of walking off the field the hero, however, he dropped it. Devastated, the 24-year-old watched in horror as the Steelers drove back down the field for the game-winning field goal…” His lament after the game: "I had the game in my hands and I dropped it. Humbled. Humbled. I'll never get over it. Ever."

There are all kinds of Motivational Quotes about failure – what it means or can mean - Gilbert Keith Chesterton said: "How you think when you lose determines how long it will be until you win." Thomas A. Edison said: "I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is a step forward." Lloyd Jones is quoted as saying: "The men who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try to do nothing and succeed." Dr. Robert Schuller says: "Success is never ending, failure is never final." General Colin Powell has said: "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."

In sports, as in life, the question always looms: What does it take to make you want to quit? You can be a don’t try person; or a give-up person; or a never-try-it again person; or a blame someone else person; or – just blame God – it’s all His fault! Athletes and all others should get a perspective for life from a careful reading of Isaiah 40:27-31, “Why do you say…"My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” In The Message Paraphrase: “Why would you ever complain…and whine…saying, God has lost track of me. He doesn't care what happens to me? Don't you know anything? Haven't you been listening? God doesn't come and go. God lasts. He's Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath. And he knows everything, inside and out. He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don't get tired, they walk and don't lag behind.”The Buffalo Wide-Receiver was eager to be the hero and ready to celebrate the victory he had attained for his team – except that – victory became defeat when he failed to hold onto the ball. God had given him the ability to play and catch – it was up to the player to use that skill and ability to hold onto the ball. Rather than accept responsibility and blame, he looked for someone else to blame. He chose to blame God! He should’ve looked into a mirror. If he had, his lesson might’ve been: “Pride always goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). Consider these things with me!