Baseball legend, Bill Buckner left several important legacies. He played major league baseball for 22 years. He had a stellar career. Buckner won a batting title and all-star nod back-to-back, and finished top-15 in MVP voting three consecutive years. His career consisted of 2,715 hits, 1,208 RBI, 1,077 runs scored and 174 home runs. It was a great record!
But many fans forgot all the great things he did and turned against him for ONE PLAY. Sadly it’s that singular play at first base at Shea Stadium in October 1986 that stuck with fans for years. The Red Sox were looking for their first World Series title since 1918 with a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the 10th inning when the Mets tied it.
Mookie Wilson came up with a runner on second and worked the count full before hitting a slow roller up the first base line. Buckner went to his left, but watched as it rolled through his legs and the runner scored. The Mets went on to win Game 7 for the series.
But no game boils down to just one play. The game could have been totally different based on any number of plays throughout the 10 innings. His team could have prevented other runs or scored more of their own so the game didn’t go into extra innings. But no! Instead many fans chose to tarnish Buckner’s image based on ONE MISSED PLAY that took less than 30 seconds. Buckner and his family were forced to move from Massachusetts to Idaho due to the taunts and criticism. [note: an MSN Sports Post is the source of some of this information].
LIFE IS NOT FAIR!
Perhaps you have experienced that. Perhaps there are some who will not let you forget something you did wrong, even though you’ve taken responsibility, made it right, and experienced God’s full and free forgiveness through Jesus. Perhaps you have been falsely accused and many people, even those who should know much better, have believed the lies. Perhaps you’ve been haunted by some failure or failures that seems to have marked your life and cannot be erased.
I’m so glad that Jesus understands. He was the ultimate example of being falsely accused, condemned, and executed — all to redeem us from sin and provide forgiveness and freedom from guilt, shame, and condemnation. Forgiveness is His free gift of grace based on His death on the cross.
I’m so glad that God is the ultimate judge who will reward good and punish evil justly, truthfully, and appropriately. The unfair and often mistaken judgments of others hurt us deeply, but remembering that God will have the last word and will justly balance the books helps.
Paul wrote “Judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s heart. At that time each will receive his praise from God” (1 Corinthians 4:5).
