Sometimes Being Disciplined

SOMETIMES BEING DISCIPLINED for improper actions can help a person get back on track in life. In 2001, Richard Morales overcame two arrests for fighting to lead Uruguay’s soccer team into the World Cup.

Uruguay matched up against Australia before almost 70,000 fans at Montevideo’s Estadio Centenario to determine the final 2002 World Cup spot. The South American host team threatened to take the lead in the game’s 13th minute when Alvaro Recoba sent a corner kick crashing off the goalpost.

However, a minute later, Uruguay lit up the scoreboard. A long pass from Gianni Guigou caught the Australians napping. Dario Silva collected the ball outside the box, held off a challenge from Shaun Murphy, advanced toward the goal, and fired a shot past goalie Mark Schwarzer.

The 1–0 lead held through the intermission. Midway through the second half, Morales substituted into the contest for Federico Magallanes. A year earlier, the striker had been arrested following a fight between his Nacional team and the opposing Penarol. After eight days in jail, all players were released. Shortly afterward, Morales again faced charges following an altercation, but they were later dropped as well.

In the 71st minute, Recoba won a free kick on the left side and floated the ball across to Morales. Morales headed the ball into the net, putting his team up 2–0. During the added time at the end of the game, he iced the victory by scoring a breakaway goal after receiving a pass from Recoba. The 3–0 victory earned Uruguay its first World Cup berth since 1990.

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POINT Richard Morales’s violent actions deserved punishment. The first imprisonment didn’t make the kind of impression it should have, but the second problem did. The soccer star returned to competition ready to focus on the game—not on his temper or on difficulties with opposing players or officials.

Sometimes in life, we deserve punishment. Although it may be painful, punishment has a purpose. God wants us to learn from discipline so we don’t make the same mistakes again.

GOAL! Can you think of any punishments you didn’t like? Good! Thank God for loving discipline and commit to him to learn from it.