Football, Instant Replays and Logs

I only like baseball. Basketball, there’s too much squeaking and running back and forth. Soccer tires me out just watching it. And football, well, it’s my least favorite. Maybe because I find it to be the most intrusive of all sports, demanding attention on all major holidays. So, the fact that I’m about to write about football is just as shocking to me as it is to you.

Last week I’m hanging with Eva in the living room at Dugan and Linds.’ A football game is on the TV and, of course, I’m ignoring it. Except when I happen to look up and see a player miss catching the ball. The camera followed him as he walked off the field, very upset with himself. But, THEN, to make matters worse, they showed the missed catch on instant replay again and again and again! I thought, good grief. What a horrible thing to do to this guy! And not only this, but the sports shows later will, most likely, continue the instant replay as they talk and dissect how he completely missed the play.

Which got me thinking. No one in that moment (nor possibly on the upcoming sports shows) talked about who this football player is. To remind themselves and their audience that he’s a professional, he’s a great player, and possibly even a good guy. Their focus was on what he missed. And would belabor that point through instant replay. Again and again and again.

I don’t know about anyone else, but when I have hurt someone, messed up, or made a poor decision, I’m just like that football player. I walk away, with my head in my hands, kicking benches and throwing my helmet. I know I screwed up. And then I proceed to imitate a sports show, by hitting instant replay of my sin over and over and over. For hours, days, sometimes months. Even years.

But, I, admittedly, am also guilty of the flip side, otherwise known as pointing out the sliver in the sports’ guys eyes while I have a log in my own. When someone hurts me, I also hit the instant replay in my head as well and (I’m ashamed to admit it) talk about it on “the show” afterwards. Otherwise known as slander.

It’s been very sobering to see this in myself. To acknowledge it. How the instant replay runs rampant in my life. Neither of which is honoring to me, to others or, more importantly, to God. I’m reminded of the verse in I Corinthians that says, “love keeps no record of wrongs.” I have always thought of that verse in terms of an argument. Don’t bring up what happened last month. That’s over and done with.

I’m rethinking the verse. It still applies to arguments BUT it also applies to instant replays, both with my own sin as well as others. Keep no record of wrongs. Throw out the instant replay button. Because when it comes to my sin, it is not what defines me. When I screw up, I want desperately to be remembered for who I truly am, not what I’ve done. And the same would be true of those who have hurt me. Their sin or mistake or missed pass does not define them. I’ve got to remember who they truly are.

Goodness, who in their right mind would think football would impact my life in such a way. But if God can speak through a donkey, I guess he can speak through football. So, with that said, I'm turning on Netflix, but not before I smash some buttons and remove some logs.