This past weekend, Stevie Johnson, wide-receiver for the Buffalo Bills, dropped a perfectly thrown game-winning pass in overtime against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Because of the dropped pass, the Steelers were given new life and ended up winning the ballgame. Stevie Johnson was distraught because of his costly mistake. So following the game, Stevie tweeted the following message:
“I PRAISE YOU 24/7!!!!!! AND THIS HOW YOU DO ME!!!!! YOU EXPECT ME TO LEARN FROM THIS??? HOW???!!! ILL NEVER FORGET THIS!! EVER!!! THX THO…”
As you can imagine, this foolish accusation against God has taken a lot of hits by sports and religious commentators. Stevie made himself an easy mark. But, lest I commit a “personal foul” by “piling on,” let me take this article another direction. In the midst of receiving correction from thousands of people, Kurt Warner, former quarterback for the Rams, the Giants, and the Cardinals did a little tweeting himself. He tweeted to Stevie and said:
“I asked same thing when released in STL & benched 3 times, But then God did his thing… Be ready! Enjoy watching you play!”
Wow! Isn’t that amazing? Of all the things that have been said or written following Stevie’s tweet, I wonder how many of them were as kind and understanding as Warner’s? Warner didn’t defend Stevie’s statement. It was indefensible. He didn’t try to legitimize it. There was nothing legitimate about it. But he did let Stevie know he could identify with the pain and hurt he was feeling, he validated his skills in spite of his costly error, and he gave him hope for the future.
Stevie Johnson spoke rashly and foolishly in his despair, and has since reflected on what he said and retracted it. I’m glad to hear that; he needed to. But I’m also glad for Kurt Warner’s response to Stevie Johnson. Personally, I want to develop my ability to empathize with, affirm, and gently correct the mistakes I see in others. What about you?
As always more good thoughts. I could not help but think how many who have reacted to Johnson’s tweets were more like Job’s friends (not adding anything helpful). Warner’s more represented what Job had to learn from God…”Job I am God and you are not.” Hurt people hurt people…and Johnson was no doubt lashing out at One without fully thinking because he was “hurt.” We like Job need to trust God even when we do not understand. We also need to realize when people are hurting they may say things out of their hurt that do not need immediate correction…they need someone to listen and at the appropriate time positively direct their lives. If I really thought God was concerned with the outcome of a football game (rather than the individuals who play the game) , I might be tempted to say He was rewarding us as Steeler fans…but we know such is not so.
Steve, we both know that God pulls for the Steelers. If you look really closely you can see on the replay that Michael the archangel swooped down and smacked the ball out of his hands (joking obviously). I guess God made him drop the other four balls during the course of the same game.
In all fairness I think I heard after the tweet that he was joking.
What’s even more disturbing to me than this issue, which happens all the time, is the word “miracle” being thrown around for everything. “How did he make that catch? It was a miracle!” You can’t turn on a news broadcast w/out something being classified as miraculous.
My question is, did Stevie REALLY prayed “24/7”?
How many times did David who was “the man after God’s own heart” question God and even get angry with God. It is good to know that we serve a God that is there with our foolishness and when we are praising Him.