"If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. My little
children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an
Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." (1 John 1:10-2:1)
In 1986, Bob Brenley was playing third base for the San Francisco Giants. In the fourth inning of
a game against the Atlanta Braves, Brenley made an error on a routine ground ball. Four batters
later he kicked away another grounder. And then while he was scrambling after the ball, he threw
wildly past home plate, trying to get the runner there. Two errors on the same play. A few
minutes later he muffed yet another play to become the first player in the twentieth century to
make four errors in one inning.
Now, those of us who have made very public errors in one situation or another can easily imagine
how he felt during that long walk off the field at the end of that inning. But then, in the bottom of
the fifth, Brenley hit a home run. Then, in the seventh, he hit a bases-loaded single, driving in two
runs and tying the game. Then, in the bottom of the ninth, Brenley came up to bat again, with two
outs. He ran the count to three and two and then hit a massive home run into the left field seats to
win the game for the Giants. Brenley's score card for that day came to three hits and five at bats,
two home runs, four errors, four runs allowed, four runs driven in, including the game-winning
run. (From "A Theology of Baseball," Preaching Today, Tape No. 115)
Life is much like that mentioned above regarding Bob Brenley. When we sin, we should never give up or lose heart, but should repent, pick ourselves up, and strive to do better.