Sat Inspiration

Morning Inspiration with Pastor Merritt

My father taught me that there never is a right way to do a wrong thing. Ruben Gonzales came to the same conclusion. He was in the final match of a professional racquetball tournament, his first shot at victory on the pro circuit, and he was playing the perennial champion. In the fourth and final game, at match point, Gonzales made a super "kill" shot into the front wall to win it all. The referee called it good. One of the two linesmen affirmed that the shot was in. But Gonzales, after a moment's hesitation, turned around, shook his opponent's hand, and declared that his shot had hit the floor first. As a result, he lost the match.

He walked off the court. Everybody sat in stunned silence. Who could imagine anyone doing this in any sport? A player, with everything officially in his favor, with victory in hand, disqualified himself at match point and lost. When asked why he did it, Gonzales said, "It was the only thing I could do to maintain my integrity." Ruben Gonzales realized one of the greatest lessons we can ever learn in life -- we can always win another match, but we can never regain lost integrity.