The White Sox crowding over Philip Humber after throwing a perfect game in 2012. (Photo Courtesy: Blake Handley/Flickr)
“I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” — Philippians 3:14
It’s About Progress
Major League Baseball has been around for 140 years. In that span, there have been 210,000 games played and just 23 perfect games have been thrown.
Think about that: 23 perfect games in 140 years. TWENTY-THREE! It’s a rarity.
And it’s a good reminder that none of us are perfect. We strive to be, we try to be, we hope to be, but if we’re being honest, we all fail at perfection. That’s why I believe that in life, at home, at work, in our walks of faith, we should instead strive for progress, not perfection.
In our relationship with God, I believe He knows that we aren’t perfect and understands that we’re all going to make mistakes. But I also believe that He wants us all to get up from those mistakes, continue pressing forward, and growing in a relationship with Him.
There’s nothing wrong with striving for perfection. But instead, let us strive for excellence and continue making progress, one step at a time, one day at a time.
Keep striving toward the Heavenly prize by chasing after the only One who is truly perfect.
— Jason Romano
If you would like to submit a reader devotional, please email all submissions to jason@sportsspectrum.com.
Boston Bruins right wing Shawn Thornton is held back by officials, March 24, 2014. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” — Romans 12:19
On Dec. 7, 2013, an NHL matchup between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins turned exceedingly violent. Just seconds into the game, Penguins defender Brooks Orpik leveled Bruins forward Loui Eriksson with a crushing blow, a legal hit but one which many Bruins deemed to be high. The hit resulted in a concussion for Eriksson, and play was chippy for the next few minutes of game action.
During one of the dust-ups, Bruins “enforcer” Shawn Thornton skated up behind Orpik, pulled him to the ground, and delivered two clean punches to his head. Orpik was stretchered off the ice and was later diagnosed with a concussion. Meanwhile, Thornton was ejected for his retaliatory act and subsequently suspended 15 games.
As human beings, we have a built-in sense of justice. One of the many implications of this is that when we see a wrong committed, we feel deep in our souls the need for the wrong to be made right. Often, we respond to that need by sinfully seeking revenge ourselves. Thornton sure did, and it cost him 15 games and $84,615.45.
God doesn’t deny that justice must be done; in fact, we have a built-in sense of justice precisely because we were made in the image of a perfectly just God. But, God does tell us in His Word that we must not be the ones to execute that justice. He’ll take care of that.
“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” — Romans 12:19
We can rest easy, knowing that — one day — God will make right every wrong. We don’t have to “get them back.” Every time someone disparages you or cuts you off in traffic, every harsh word or dirty glance, all these injustices will be atoned for. Either the perpetrators receive justice for their sins in hell, or Jesus paid the penalty for their sins on the cross.
So, what are we supposed to do instead of taking revenge?
Well, we trust. We trust that God is who He said He is, that He’ll do all He said He’d do. When we look around at a world wracked with sin on the other side of the globe and right here in our hearts, we trust that He sees it all, and that He’s doing something about it.
So the next time you feel slighted, however big or small, take a deep breath and trust that God will enact justice. He’ll take care of it. Remember, “It is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.”
Former Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch, Dec. 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
“In the same way faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself. But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works. … Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless?” — James 2:17-18, 20 (CSB)
When asked about being shy or disliking the media, former All-Pro running back Marshawn Lynch once famously said, “I’m just ’bout that action, boss.” His response was one of confidence and assurance in who he was and what he was about.
Faith is also “’bout that action!” It is an action word. It is alive. It is visible.
In our spiritual journey, leading a family, career or academic pursuits, or anything we do, we must have a foundation of faith in order to succeed. Hebrews 11:1 (CSB) defines faith this way: “Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.” The dictionary calls faith “complete trust, confidence, or belief in something, often without absolute proof, covering both religious devotion and personal conviction.”
With both definitions, it wouldn’t make sense to plan, prepare, study, practice, travel and do all the other things we do if we didn’t believe we could [fill in the blank]. Likewise, it wouldn’t make sense to “have faith” and never plan, prepare, study, practice, travel and do whatever else needs to be done. As a sports official, player, coach, media member or however we serve, we must have faith and work our faith.
Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2, NKJV). Faith comes from hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17, NKJV). Never forget the source of your faith. Also remember that faith is made alive when we work it (physical or mental effort exerted to achieve a purpose, produce something, or complete a task).
San Diego Padres player Gavin Sheets rounds the bases after hitting a home run, May 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
San Diego Padres slugger Gavin Sheets made Major League Baseball history last week when he became the first player to hit three go-ahead, three-run, ninth-inning home runs in the same season. What’s more, he accomplished the feat before the middle of May.
He continued his hot start to the season by following it up with three home runs over the weekend against the Seattle Mariners, including two in Sunday’s game.
“It’s a cool honor. You think of all the players in the National League, and to win that for a week is pretty exciting,” Sheets told MLB Network. “But, more importantly, we played really good baseball and had two really good series on the road.”
Since arriving in San Diego before last season on a minor-league deal, Sheets has provided much-needed spark and versatility to a Padres lineup looking to keep pace with the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers. He made the opening-day roster last year and responded with the best season of his career: a .252 batting average, 19 home runs and 71 RBIs — all career highs. The Padres reached the postseason, but lost to the Chicago Cubs in the wild-card round.
Sheets has picked up where he left off, batting .254 this year with nine home runs and 21 RBIs in 44 games played, and he’s a key reason the Padres are sitting just a half-game behind the Dodgers in the NL West standings. He’s also considered one of the leaders in the clubhouse despite being in only his second full season with the club.
“I think it’s something that’s organically happened,” he told MLB Network. “Last year I came in and built relationships with the guys around here. It’s such a great clubhouse and such a great culture. Everybody just wants to win. I think there’s a respect factor when you go about things the right way and put in the work.”
There was a time earlier in his career when he would’ve let those numbers and that success define him. That mindset crumbled and his perspective shifted entirely during the pandemic-shortened season in 2020.
Sheets was drafted in the second round by the Chicago White Sox in 2017 out of Wake Forest and quickly began ascending the minor league system. He put together his best pro season in Double-A in 2019 and earned an invitation to major league spring training in 2020. Then the pandemic brought everything to an abrupt halt.
“I remember thinking, ‘This is OK. This isn’t the path I had. This isn’t the way my plan was going, but that’s OK. Baseball is going to come back and we’ll be fine,'” he said in a Sports Spectrum “I Once Was” video.
Later that June, baseball did resume — though in an abbreviated, 60-game season without fans. The minor league season was canceled, but some players were asked to report to what was essentially extended spring training to play intrasquad games against teammates. But not everyone would be participating. Some players in the organization would stay home without structured baseball activity for the time being.
A bunch of guys started getting calls about when to show up to the facility and getting relayed logistics about the season and their assignment. Sheets’ phone never rang.
“I had made baseball this idol in my life,” he said in the video. “All of my plans in all my mind, my relationships, everything was in this idol that I’d created, and I didn’t know what to do. It was a mix of emotions — anger and questioning. It was the first time that I’d really searched for God, in that moment.”
It was also the first time he realized baseball would go on whether he was a part of it or not. That was a hard pill to swallow.
“So, this thing that I had put my identity in, I’m sitting at home watching it go on. I’m watching these guys play and I’m not a part of it, and it’s not slowing down,” he said while speaking at a chapel event last month for Christian Unified Schools of San Diego. “I realized I’m putting my identity in something that doesn’t care for me.”
He soon thereafter received a text message from his college coach, Tom Walter, whom he hadn’t spoken to in about a year. The message included a story about a pastor and a farmer that was meant to provide comfort and remind Sheets to trust in God when things happen that we don’t understand.
The text also read: “You’ve always risen to the occasion. This will be no exception. Hang in there. Love you, brother.” Reading it made him break down in tears.
“I just thank God,” he said. “I just felt His presence for the first time where I needed Him the most, where I called out to Him. It was the first time where I felt myself giving my whole path to God, giving my whole future to God, giving my whole life to God and just saying, ‘I can’t do this on my own.'”
Later that summer, while visiting his grandparents, his grandfather fell and broke his leg. Because baseball had been put on pause, Sheets was able to stay home for several weeks and help care for him alongside his grandmother. Then his aunt — whom he described as being like a second mother to him — became ill and passed away later that same summer. He was there with her when she took her final breath.
“Being there and being with my family and realizing that God had greater plans than I could’ve ever imagined,” he said in the video. “The plans that I had for myself were not even half of what God had planned for me.”
That season made him realize he wasn’t using baseball or his platform to glorify God, and that needed to change. Sheets continued training on his own, and used the time to learn how to play outfield in an effort to make himself more valuable to a roster. He made his major-league debut the following year — at a position he had never played before, which he learned while being at home during the pandemic.
“Now I’m here to share my journey and how it all took a turn for a path that was even greater than I expected,” he said.
Texas quarterback Arch Manning, Nov. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)
“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” — 2 Peter 3:8-9
Few things feel as diametrically opposed as our culture’s addiction to immediacy and the brutal reality that most of life is spent waiting. We live in an age of instant gratification — same-day shipping, streaming on demand, meals in minutes. Whether it’s in traffic, in line at the grocery store, or for that text message reply, waiting feels inefficient or like wasted time.
But impatience doesn’t just show up in the small annoyances of daily life. It creeps into how we view relationships, careers, personal growth, and even how we evaluate people in the public eye. We expect immediate results, overnight success, and instant change. And when it doesn’t come, we grow restless.
It’s always kind of been this way in sports, but the early part of the 2025 NFL and college football seasons accentuated it.
After a Week 1 loss on the road to defending champion Ohio State, college football fans rushed to write off Arch Manning after his very first start at Texas. Met with the expectations of stardom akin to uncles Peyton and Eli and his grandfather Archie, the young Arch struggled, and the internet declared him overrated within hours. But he ended up throwing for 3,163 yards with 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions to lead Texas to a 10-3 season. He’s considered one of the top quarterback prospects for the 2027 NFL Draft and could potentially be the No. 1 overall pick.
Last year in the NFL, analysts said that if Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams didn’t have a big second year, the Bears might have to bring in a veteran quarterback to challenge him. Williams ended the season with a single-season franchise record of 3,942 passing yards, to go with 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He helped lead the Bears to an 11-6 season, an NFC North division championship, and a win over the rival Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round.
Sports commentary has always leaned dramatic, but our culture in general seems to have lost its ability to be patient. We’re ready to consider someone a bust after one bad game or one bad season.
While the Bible doesn’t speak directly about sports, it gives us plenty examples of how God is never in a hurry:
Abraham and Sarah waited decades for the child God had promised. Their waiting wasn’t wasted. It revealed God’s faithfulness and their need for Him.
Joseph endured betrayal and years in prison before God raised him to power in Egypt. His story is one of perseverance and trust, even when the timeline seemed unbearable.
Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before entering the Promised Land. That season of waiting was a season of shaping. God was forming their identity as His people.
David was anointed king as a teenager but didn’t take the throne for years. That in-between time taught him humility, dependence and courage.
Even Jesus waited 30 years before beginning His public ministry. If anyone could have rushed the process, it was Him, yet He submitted to His Father’s timing.
God has sovereignty over everything in our lives. We don’t need to hurry Him along. Even if we try, those attempts will be futile (Philippians 4:6).
As Proverbs 21:5 warns, “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” Proverbs 19:2 adds, “Desire without knowledge is not good — how much more will hasty feet miss the way!”
The Gospel itself is a story of patience. From the moment humanity fell in Genesis 3, God promised redemption. But that promise unfolded over centuries. Even now, we wait. Christ has come, and yet we await His return. We live in patience, trusting the slow work of God.
