DEVOTIONAL
Successful Mistakes
“For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.” Proverbs 24:16
A
player who reached him first right. I realized I had a choice. n important football and patted him on the back, I could sit in my misery, or I event happened in 1964 consoling the player as he began could do something about it.” when Jim Marshall, a to realize what he had just done. In the second half of the game, legendary defensive end for the The players recall there was he forced a fumble that conMinnesota Vikings, ran the foota buzzing in the stadium for tributed to his team’s victory. ball the wrong way for a safety the rest of the game that would “For though the righteous fall (two points for the other team). not go away. It was the sound seven times, they rise again, but It has been voted by NFL Films of people talking and laughing the wicked stumble when calamas one of the worst follies in ity strikes” (Proverbs 24:16). National Football League history. about the baffling play they had just seen. And when the game Mistakes are going to happen. The play began when Billy was over, Jim had to deal with Take the pressure off. What Kilmer, a San Francisco 49er, the press, who began calling him matters is getting back up. This caught a pass but was hit and “Wrong Way Marshall.” It was a is called “learning.” This is fumbled the ball. Just then, devastating, very public failure. called “growth.” This is called Marshall, who was trailing the In an interview with NFL “life.” The alternative is having play, came up, scooped the ball, your life defined by one missed and began running in the wrong Films, Marshall said, “It took a lot of guts” to go back out step. The Scriptures say the direction. His teammates from onto the field. “I had made way of righteousness will be the sideline were yelling, “You're the biggest mistake you can full of falls and failures, but going the wrong way,” but Marprobably make.… If you make the good stuff is found right shall ran 66 yards to the wrong a mistake, you’ve got to make it after you get up. Therefore, as end zone. It was an opposing we navigate our lives through these uncertain times, mistakes will be made, but we continue to learn, rise again, and walk into a bold new future.
Moises Ruiz
Youth Pastor, Red Deer Seventh-day Adventist Church and Pastor at Epic Church
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Alberta Adventist News
DECEMBER 2020
