I am Tyrique Stevenson
I'm All Too Familiar with Making an Utter Fool of Myself
Believe it or not, I found myself on an NFL football field. Sunday afternoon, October 27th, 2024. Washington D.C. I was the one wearing the number 29 jersey for the visiting Chicago Bears at the end of the game.
Okay. So maybe it wasn’t me wearing the actual jersey. The real athlete wearing number 29 for the Bears was Tyrique Stevenson. But it felt like it was me. I know what it is to feel like him. Not in playing NFL football. But in making an utter fool of myself. I know what’s like to count my chickens.
The score was 15-12 in favor of the visiting Bears. A tiny handful of seconds remained on the clock. The Commanders were a mile away from the end zone. Everyone in the stadium - especially Tyrique Stevenson - assumed it was over. While the ball was being snapped, Stevenson taunted the Washington fans. He was so busy taunting, he didn’t even know the ball was snapped to Jayden Daniels, the Commanders QB. Stevenson noticed a play unfolding and quickly rushed to play defense as Daniels heaved a Hail Mary pass to the end zone. Stevenson arrived just in time to tip the ball in the air, where it fell into the welcoming hands of a Commanders receiver. Like an answer to a prayer (Hail Mary), the receiver - Noah Brown - found himself with the football in the end zone as time expired. Commanders win. Final score - 18-12. The Washington fans went bonkers. You can read about it and watch it here.
One moment, Stevenson is taunting fans - bragging about winning the football game, defeating the home team. The next moment he tips a ball in the air, being the culprit who perfectly placed the ball for the other team to win the football game. One second he was taunting a victory. The next he was sulking in defeat. It wasn’t long before a public apology was issued, promising to do better:
To Chicago and teammates my apologies for lack of awareness and focus …. The game ain’t over until zeros hit the clock. Can’t take anything for granted. Notes taken, improvement will happen.
Sigh.
I am Tyrique Stevenson.
There aren’t enough numbers to count how many times I have wrongly assumed I have defeated a sin or arrived at some perceived “spiritual status” only to fall flat on my face. Like Tyrique from the Bears and Peter from the New Testament, I have told Jesus I would never do “such and such,” only to proceed doing “such and such” before the rooster crowed or the clock hit zeros. Jesus said that without Him I can do nothing. I have proven Him correct. I have pridefully taunted my sin nature in my own strength while the ball was in the air. I’ve even tipped it into the arms of the opposing side. I continuously seem to enjoy counting my spiritual chickens before any of them hatch.
I’m sure Sunday night, Tyrique Stevenson wondered “why do I do the things I do?” I’m positive he wondered why he did things he hated and didn’t do things he desired. I’ve been there. So has Paul.
What’s the remedy? Not sure there is one. There aren’t steps we can take to ensure that we overcome the other team. But we do know there is One who overcomes our consistent and embarrassing spiritual face plants: “Thanks be to God who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 7:25 & 8:1).
Yes, Paul. Yes. Thanks be to God.
Yes thanks to Jesus Christ for all of us. Especially me