melt down on a world stage

I got home from XStream in time to catch some of the World Series game 1. The Rockies, having swept the Diamondbacks, are coming off 8 days of rest, while the Red Sox played 7 games against the Cleveland Indians, winning the final 3 games of the ALCS to get into the World Series. From the looks of things, the Rockies are feeling the lay off, especially their pitching. Boston scored 7 runs in the 5th inning.

I'm fairly certain that Franklin Morales and Ryan Speier are quality pitchers. But tonight, on the game's biggest stage, they didn't get the job done. They failed to produce the results that they are accustomed to, that their fans, teammates, coaches, and management expect from them.

I know how they feel.

We all have those days, those moments when we don't produce, when we fail to meet expectations.

I believe that the true test (or at least a large part of the test) of maturity and growth comes in the moments that follow a meltdown. How will these men and their teammates handle the disappointment? How will I react to missing the mark?

Fight or flight? Roll over and quit, or dust myself off and get up to try again? Hang my head or raise my chin and get ready for the next round?

I am living in the hope that it's a long series (life--not just baseball) and I am holding on to this promise:

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.