Last night I sat on the couch transfixed by a playoff game between my hometown Cincinnati Bengals and the home team Houston Texans. The first quarter showed my underdog football players could hold their own. They looked strong as they tackled players and broke up passes.
Unfortunately, their luck came to a screeching halt by the second quarter when the Texans took over the lead.
By halftime my legs shook with nerves, my heart raced, and I couldn't tolerate the suspense of the third quarter. I left the room, found my phone, and texted my brother in Cincinnati. "I can't stand the suspense. Tell me they will win."
He replied, "Nope. They will lose. But they had a great season!"
My brother put the game back in perspective for me.
Many times in life the pressure of competition causes me to focus only on the outcome and not on the progress toward goals.
In the education field, it seems as if the bosses and politicians only want to see the bottom line of test data that will supposedly reflect progress in our students. Too often these folks forget education is a journey; the real victory is not in the test score but in the learning process itself.
God notices my failures in life. However, like true Bengals fans and teachers who know their students, He sees my progress over time. Furthermore, His grace washes away my failures.
Why can't people be as gracious to each other?
Instead of pointing out each other's flaws, wouldn't it be wonderful to be kind when we see someone struggling?
The world would change if we lifted each other up in prayer each day.
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Lord, Let me pray for others and offer my help to them whenever possible.
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