06/22/10 JUST STUFF... WITH A POINT
Y'all remember the picture I posted of the 883 pound Blue Marlin caught during the Big Rock Fishing Tournament in Morehead City, North Carolina. As they prepared to award the team nearly 1 Million dollars prize money they discovered one of the crew had not bought a $15 license. The whole team was disqualified and lost the prize. A million dollar prize, a tournament record and fishing fame lost for the want of a FIFTEEN DOLLAR license. He will live with that choice for a lifetime. Choose carefully.
The way I understand it, the captain asked the crew member if he had the license and he said he did. While it may be true that he should have asked to see it, I think it would be just as reasonable for the tournament committee to verify each boat or captain. Those in charge (the tournament officials) ought to be responsible, unless they had a rule that required the captain to check licenses for everyone on the team.
I think the crew member should have been penalized but the unsuspecting party should not be penalized nor even the other crew members, if the tournament officials did not check.
It is easy to say how it should have been done, but it is unfortunate that innocent people suffered loss because of the failure of one person.
The captain lost his share of the prize, just like everyone else on the team. BTW, the captain seems to have acknowledged his failure in the fiasco and accepted his loss of the prize without complaint. At least from what report I heard.
MORE IMPORTANTLY...
DLG... Regardless, they lost the prize, because they did not play by the rules.
1 Corinthians 9:24
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
DLG... It is possible to run, compete, perform in vain.
Galatians 2:2
2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
DLG... Prize reserved for over-comers.
Revelation 2:7
7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Revelation 2:11
11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcomes shall not be hurt of the second death.
Revelation 2:17
17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows saving he that receives it.
Revelation 2:26
26 And he that overcomes, and keeps my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Revelation 3:5
5 He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Revelation 3:12
12 Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
Revelation 3:21
21 To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
DLG... Losses due to disqualification.
Those who did not have the proper attire were removed from the wedding (Mt. 22:11-13).
Those who did not have oil for their lamps were not admitted (Mt. 25:8-13).
Those who did not invest their talents (blessings) for the Master lost their blessings and were denied heaven (Mt. 25:24-30).
Those who look back while plowing are disqualified from the kingdom of God (Lk. 9:62).
I guess they should have remembered one of the first Bible verses children learn, which says, Am I my brother's keeper (Ge. 4:9)? The answer being, Yes.
This is a good illustration of the importance of fulfilling responsibility: Personal responsibility (the mate), Leadership responsibility (the captain), Mutual responsibility (the team).
We are all accountable at different levels.
I am accountable for myself.
Pastors (and other leaders) are accountable for those we lead and serve.
We are accountable for fellow Christians in our local church, our own family members, and lost people around us.
The Bible says each of us must bear our own burden (Ga. 6:5)but it also says we should bear one another's burden (Ga. 6:1-2).
No one answers for another man's sins, but we must answer for our own service to God and those He assigns to us.
