“[B]e strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” — 2 Timothy 2:1-2
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Tanner Scott is a relief pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, one of the best teams in the world. They won the World Series last year, but Scott struggled with a 4.64 ERA and had to be shut down with an injury before the playoffs. He’s much improved this season thus far with a 2.60 ERA and 0.795 WHIP (walks and hits allowed per innings pitched).
However, on May 30, he gave up a three-run home run in the eighth inning to the Philadelphia Phillies and was vilified by lots of people for blowing a save against a bitter rival. Some misguided people went so far as to say they hoped something happened to his unborn child (expected to arrive later this year), and his wife, Maddie, has mentioned how difficult it was to deal with hurtful comments from cruel people.
When reporters interviewed Tanner after the game, he probably didn’t enjoy the questions, but they spoke to him in a respectful manner. In short, they mentioned he had bounced back well from his struggles of last year and put together several good outings this year, but asked why he thought the Phillies got such good at-bats against him that night.
In this pressurized environment where championships are expected every year and no loss is acceptable, it was remarkable to hear Scott calmly answer the questions without anger or bitterness. He stood there and allowed the reporters plenty of opportunities to put him in the spotlight in an unfavorable way. As he explained, he and the catcher intended to throw a high pitch just above the strike zone, but he threw off target and the ball was right over the plate and easier for the hitter to reach. Then he made his best statement of the night: “Tomorrow is a new day.”
Tanner is a young man who is already proving to be a stand-up father who works hard, quietly handles adversity, and overcomes obstacles for the good of his family, teammates and community.
We can all deal with unfairness sometimes, and do best to avoid bitterness and keep on showing up every day, even when things aren’t going well. Though we don’t approve of harsh criticism and unkindness, we need to learn to be kind to others regardless of how they may treat us (Romans 12:21).
God is pleased when we are honest and can identify and admit when we are wrong. If we pretend to be perfect or incapable of failure, we are probably headed for trouble. Some of David’s best psalms expressed sorrow over his sins, and he was eternally grateful for God’s grace and mercy (Psalm 51:10-13). Of course, none of us want to disappoint the Lord, but God is ready to give us a new start and more opportunities when we’re truly sorry for our wrongs.
Though we won’t be perfect examples for our friends, children, grandchildren and others who are watching us, we need to be always mindful that they are watching, and how we deal with various circumstances will affect those who see and hear us. Our goal should be to be a model for the best way to do things through our speech and behavior, so that we can live on through them after we are gone to be with the Lord (2 Timothy 2:1-2, above).
— Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Georgia
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