Costly Do-Overs
In Game Plan for Life, Coach Gibbs recounts the story from the Redskins' 2007 season when, in an effort to ice the opposing kicker in the closing minute of a two-point game, he mistakenly called two timeouts in a row. The fifteen-yard penalty walkoff put the Bills at much closer range, and the converted field goal proved the difference in a heartbreaking 17-16 Redskin defeat. No loss can be blamed on any one thing, of course, but this game ultimately came down to a crucial sideline mistake.
If Coach ever found himself in a similar situation, you can bet he wouldn't do that again.
Wonder, though, how many of the problems we cause ourselves are from repeat mistakes—things we should have known better, goofs we should have learned from before? Being consistently late, for example, always keeps us off-balance, apologetic, and at least semi-rude to others. We know that. Yet we keep running behind and not taking pains to be punctual. Pick whatever frustration of yours that eats away at your efficiency and attitude, and ask yourself what would be different if you had decided to do something about it long ago.
The Bible tells us to "hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life" (Proverbs 4:13). Maybe instead of trying to come up with better ways of doing things, we'd save time by just not having to relearn things we know that already work.
Pray this prayer: Lord, make plain to me those faults and areas of neglect where I keep shooting myself in the foot. I want to be a man who's putting your Word and good sense into constant practice.
Please visit Joe Gibbs' Website at www.GamePlanForLife.com for Joe's Video Blog and more!