A Judgment Call

A Judgment Call

During week four of Monday Night Football in the NFL’s 2015 campaign, Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson was about to score the game-winning touchdown on a quick pass from Matthew Stafford. Just before the goal line, Johnson was hit by Kam Chancellor, resulting in the ball being fumbled into the end zone.

As it was about to bounce out of the back of the end zone, Seattle Seahawks linebacker K. J. Wright illegally batted the ball out of the back of the end zone right in front of the referee. It was a wild play that had a number of possible outcomes. Unfortunately for the Lions, Wright wasn’t penalized.

On the Tuesday morning sports talk shows, the hosts agreed that the referee’s call was a judgment call, but if this action had been penalized, as it should have been, the Lions would have had first and goal at the half-yard line. The pundits declared that the referee’s poor judgment cost the Lions another opportunity. The ironic thing about the play is that K. J. Wright’s poor judgment could have cost his team the game.

Poor judgment is expensive. Our decision making is paramount if we are going to lead ourselves and others well. When it comes to adultery, look at the simple yet profound words of Proverbs 6. Verse 32 states, “The man who commits adultery is an utter fool, for he destroys himself.”

From what I can see, no one ever sets out to destroy themselves. But if you allow your judgment to be clouded so that you behave like an utter fool, it will result in certain regret.

The man who commits adultery is an utter fool, for he destroys himself.

Proverbs 6:32