I love soccer (from the English abbreviation “association football”). I love the pace and flow of the game. I love how there are no timeouts. I love the build-up to each and every goal. I, also, love how there is no use of instant replay. In this World Cup there have been tons of bad calls (and great ones too). There have been calls that have “robbed” teams of goals and all sorts of advantages. Even when it effects my favorite teams, I still approve of the “bad calls.” Why? Because it’s just like real life.
In our modern world of technological advances and ability to comfort ourselves indefinitely, we have anesthetized ourselves from pain and “unfairness” as much as possible. We have ruled out winners and losers. We have created cars that almost drive themselves (and one day, no doubt, will). We have even ruled out pain and suffering in the gospel (or have tried very hard to). Yet the bible clearly states that rain will fall on the just and the unjust. It also says that offenses must come, that we will enter heaven through much trial and tribulation. It says that those who endure to the end will be saved. One of the fruits of the spirit is long-suffering, etc. etc.. I am not trying to be a downer, so much as point out that we’re going to have overcome some things in life and there is no instant replay and there are few actual “do-overs” in life.
The same goes with soccer. You are given 90 minutes of fun, flaws and passion. Whoever wins at the end, wins. There is no instant replay. So if a ref makes an “unfair” call or just a really bad one. You could lose. Or you could overcome. It’s up to you and your response to life’s calls. No one will be sent to heaven or hell by anybody else. You have to make the final decision. Everyone was so mad at the ref after the USA-Slovenia match because they would’ve won the game. Well, in reality, if they wouldn’t have let two goals be scored in the first half they would’ve won. Either way, they fought back and tied. Then they advanced and lost again due to conceding early goals. They had the same chances as everybody else.
What about you? What “bad calls” has life dealt you? Did you fight back and overcome them? Or did you give up and call the game over? There are no instant replays in life. Run the race in such a way to WIN the prize, no matter what happens along the way.
02/08/2010 at 11:43 am Permalink
Soccer is not a sport. But I suppose you could make a sport of watching the fans. I’d probably burn and pillage too if I spent 3 hours putting my hopes in those short shorts wearing men. Watching them run up and down a field (as tho that were interesting) and my dreams of seeing a goal were crushed.