WHEN YOU SCORE AN OWN GOAL

“… Prepare for battle, and be shattered! Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted; propose your plan, but it will not stand…” (Isaiah 8: 9-10)

Sometimes even the best of the best make mistakes. This was the lesson from a player called Marcello who is touted for his defensive and offensive prowess but who accidentally scored a goal against his own Brazilian side. To make it worse, it was the first goal of the 2014 World Cup. It must have been devastating for him and he stared in disbelief, stunned by what he had inadvertently done. The social media was filled with insults to him. He was lucky that his teammates scored three more goals to win 3-1 to Croatia, otherwise his very life might have been in danger from his irate fans who are fanatical about football, and gambling syndicates shattered by their dashed expectations. After the 1994 World Cup, Andres Escober, a Colombian player was murdered and his death was widely linked to an own goal in a match with the USA.

There is a lot of hurt we do to ourselves and others without intending to; in fact while we are enthusiastically trying our very best to excel. We just need to forgive ourselves, pray that others are empathetic and move on.

*****

“Give me the love that leads the way, The faith that nothing can dismay, The hope no disappointments tire, The passion that will burn like fire, Let me not sink to be a clod: Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.” -- Amy Carmichael

*****