The college football season is underway and we’ve already had one play that was both unusual and embarrassing. It occurred during Thursday night’s game between Kent State and Towson. Kent State punted the football to Towson, but the ball bounced and touched the Towson return man. That made it a fumble or a live ball. A Kent State player picked up the loose ball at the seven yard line with a clear path to the end zone…just seven yards away…and a touchdown.
Instead he began running the wrong way. He ran the wrong way for 58 yards. But he wasn’t the only player on the field who messed up. Two players for Towson chased him down and tackled him, instead of allowing him to continue running the wrong way. If they had let him keep running, he would have ended up in their end zone, scoring a two point safety for…Towson.
For football fans, it was easily one of the more comical plays we’ll ever see. It was bad enough that the one Kent State player messed up and went the wrong way. But it was even funnier when other players reacted by following his lead and also went the wrong way.
It just goes to show that some in a crowd will follow anyone…as long as that person acts like they know where they’re going.
As leaders it is important that we do more than act like we know where we’re going. Otherwise we might lead some people down a path we all end up regretting.
As leaders it is also important that we lead those following us in the present in the right direction. In the church that means we lead in the direction that takes the gospel to the lost. It also means we lead with vision and a belief that God’s future for the church is better than the past. Too many in today’s churches are leading backward…the wrong direction…instead of forward into God’s future. The result is that the gospel is not penetrating the darkness of our world and the church is not growing. That, my friends, is definitely running in the wrong direction.
Pastor Steve Hogg
PS If anyone wears a Kent State jersey to our Refresh service and picnic this Sunday…we may make some jokes at your expense…but we’ll still love you.
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