While playing football for his high school team, 18 year old Kevin cracked a thoracic vertebra during the third game of his senior year. According to newspapers throughout the State of Oklahoma and nationwide sporting news agencies, Kevin was regarded as one of the top ten football players in the United States. Thirty-seven division one universities expressed interest in Kevin’s services. Following his season ending surgery, interest in Kevin plummeted to less than a dozen universities. In the months following his surgery, the speed, quickness and agility was no longer there. Initially, he received a full athletic scholarship but lost it when it became apparent that he could not fulfill its provisions. He decided to quit playing football. At the ripe old age of 18, he found himself working at two jobs in order to earn enough money to complete his college education.
Today Kevin is a successful 29 year old corporate executive who expects to own his own business before his 35th birthday. When he was recently asked about his early exit from what appeared to be an outstanding college football career and most certainly a professional career as well, he said, “Depending upon how you look at life, there really aren’t any negatives. There are opportunities a person accepts or misses.”
Aren’t any negatives? Knowing or reading about Kevin’s life, there were plenty of negatives in Kevin’s life. However, he overcame them by refusing to measure himself and his life by other people’s standards. Of all his high school awards—and there were dozens of them—not one remains. Similarly, Kevin did not take seriously statements when it was said he was the greatest high school football player. So he did not pay too much attention when others judged him a failure or a loser. He simply picked himself up and kept on going with his life, believing and trusting that he could overcome life’s uncertainties and be whatever it is he wanted to be.
Kevin’s victories confirm that trust that Jesus Christ has placed in each and every person. For His unconditional love continually assure us that we can overcome life’s tragedies if we have faith and truly believe with all of our heart that our Heavenly Father knows who we are and has a purpose in our lives. But He will break our stubbornness and renew us when we, through faith, come to Him joyfully!
Read more articles by Stephen A. Peterson or search for articles on the same topic or others.
