Oklahoma State, ranked number three, and Stanford, ranked number four, battled each other to a tie in regulation in the Fiesta Bowl. Oklahoma State would have the game given them by a missed field goal by a redshirt freshman, Jordan Williamson, in the last three seconds. Stanford had 580 yards of offense. That was 200 yards more than Oklahoma State! They were led by Andrew Luck, runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. It all came down to a field goal.....or two. Williamson missed at 35 and 43 yards. He had only missed THREE the entire season.
Even opponents have to feel for Jordan Williamson. He will live out his lifetime as the kid who lost the Fiesta Bowl for Stanford in 2012. Is that really fair? Of course it isn't. Every man playing in that game bears some responsibility for losing. A dropped pass. A missed block. A penalty. A missed tackle. A blown assignment. Still, it will not free Jordan Williamson from feeling that HE lost the game.........BUT....stepping up to the plate was Andrew Luck, the Stanford quarterback, who is considered the possible number one draft choice for the pros. This classy man said: "I am as much to blame as anyone.". Andrew Luck verbally accepted some blame for the loss.
I have watched athletes slapping themselves and dancing around after a good run or catch or tackle. One gets the feeling they think they did it all by themselves, but they didn't. Do they equally share the losing? I hope so.
This kind of things happens in day to day life as well. As Believers it is good for us to join in singing "Blest Be The Tie". All the stanzas.
Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love.
The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that a-bove.
Before our Father's throne we pour our ardent prayers.
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one. Our comforts and our cares.
We SHARE our mutual woes. Our MUTUAL burdens bear,
And often for each other flows the sympathizing tear.
When we asunder part, it gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in HEART and hope to meet again.
John Fawcett
