Every week in the NFL, players drop passes, fumble the ball, miss blocks, and throw interceptions. At the same time, coaches call the wrong plays, put players in bad spots, and don’t handle certain situations well. In conclusion, players and coaches regularly make mistakes and poor decisions. Millions of people are watching these games and afterward, the players and coaches address the media to offer explanations for what happened during these unfortunate plays and help us understand what they were thinking. Some of the most criticized decisions from week 1 in the NFL took place in the closing minutes of Monday Night Football as the Broncos were marching down the field attempting to win the game against the Seahawks. They were losing 16-17, and on 4th and 5, the new Broncos head coach, Nathaniel Hackett, chose to kick a 64-yard field goal instead of leaving the offense on the field. It didn’t work out as Brandon McManus missed the extremely long field goal attempt and the Broncos lost the game. Hackett is a first-time head coach and after his first game, he’s already taking heat from the fans and media for not giving his quarterback, Russell Wilson, the ball in that situation. Afterward, Hackett told the media what went into the decision and he initially justified the call he made. However, when he spoke again to reporters the next day, he said, "Looking back at it, we definitely should have gone for it." Instead of doubling down or stubbornly giving excuses or blaming someone else (like some coaches do) for why he made that call, Hackett admitted it wasn’t the right decision and owned the mistake he made. He said, "In the end, it lies on me. I made that decision.” He also said, "I've already moved on from it. We're already game planning. We've got the next week coming up on a short week, so we've got to get rolling. It's that simple. It's the next game.” We can give him a hard time for his decision-making at the end of the game, but I appreciate the way he’s approached the mistake. Although he’s had to deal with the consequences, he was willing to acknowledge he made the wrong call, knows he’ll handle a similar situation differently next time, is already moving on, and hopefully, he’ll learn and grow from it. You and I also make poor decisions in life and when we reflect or look back after some time has gone by, we often see that we didn't make the best choices. The question becomes, will we own the mistake and acknowledge we blew it, or will we look to make excuses and shift the blame? When it comes to truly sinful decisions, will we humble ourselves and confess or will we pridefully and stubbornly double down, justify, or deny it was the wrong thing to do? 1 John 1:9 (AMP) tells us, “If we admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just , and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness .” David in the Bible gives us a good approach when he writes in Psalm 32:5 (AMP): “I acknowledged my sin to You, And I did not hide my wickedness; I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,' And You forgave the guilt of my sin.” Unfortunately, there will be times when we, too, miss the mark and need to admit that "In the end, it lies on me. I made that decision.” I think what Hackett said is something we can repeat in the moments we fall short. But when we do make a mistake, let’s be willing to acknowledge we made the wrong call, accept the consequences, and most importantly receive God’s grace and forgiveness. Let’s ask Him for wisdom and guidance to help us handle a similar situation differently the next time, move on in repentance, and grow from it. I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that! PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for the grace You show me. I pray I wouldn't be so prideful and filled with excuses and blame. Help me to own my mistakes, learn from them, and move forward. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR PACKS:
What type of mistakes do you have the hardest time admitting to?
Are you more likely to make excuses, blame, or double down when you do make a mistake?
Comments