Don’t Blow Your Legacy Like Joe Paterno

The Point: Unless you finish strong you could wipe out a lifetime of great work.

The drop of poison

We’ve all heard that a drop of poison can destroy a gallon of soup and nowhere is that more true than in writing your own legacy. It’s one thing to work, sacrifice, and achieve great things. It’s another to finish strong and not let any disasters happen as you write the final chapter in your legacy. If anything you need to be MORE alert the longer you go.

Example 1: Look what happened to Joe Paterno
What a tragedy—65 years at one institution. He invested and made a positive impact on tens of thousands of young people. His players not only were outstanding on the grid iron but were outstanding in the classroom and, with few exceptions, great role models. They were an inspiration to the rest of the student body and others in collegiate sports. Joe lived modestly, spent little on himself and his family, yet donated millions of dollars back to the university. He also led fundraising campaigns raising millions for many charitable activities. He was the paragon of morality and virtue. For tens of thousands he was the perfect father figure. However, even he would tell you he’d got relaxed in the last 10 years.

When horrific rumors and reports came about alleged unimaginable behavior by one of his trusted friends and coaches he essentially turned a blind eye. The fact that he didn’t bother getting to the bottom of the problem immediately has cost him his job and spoiled forever his reputation and legacy.  How little it would have taken to avoid this. Now he says “I should have done more”. What a tragedy!

Example 2: Ex-Sherriff Patrick Sullivan
This sad story caught my attention last week in the ApsenTimes.com. A Colorado hero, former sheriff Patrick Sullivan has just taken a mighty fall. For two decades this sheriff stood tall and set an example of excellence and morality in law enforcement. He was once named the nation’s sheriff of the year. You can check out the details if you’re interested, but suffice it to say he was recently indicted, making a court room appearance at age 68 in an orange jail uniform, handcuffed and walking with a cane. He watched as a judge raised his bail to a half million dollars and then he suffered the indignity of being led back to his cell into the Patrick J Sullivan Detention Center—named for him! The once mighty sheriff has fallen. So sad.  

These are just 2 of all too many examples in the news.
If it can happen to them it can happen to you. Make up your mind now that after you build or achieve something great in your life and career, making a positive impact in the world, that you will not get sloppy. Make up your mind that you will finish strong and stay vigilant to the end. When you’re successful and gain the admiration of others you become powerful. People give you lots of leeway in how you behave. Make sure you don’t take advantage of that and let negative situations and behavior stain and ruin your lifetime of good work.  It takes a lifetime to build a good name but it can be destroyed in an instant.  

Far too many have found this to be true, don’t let it happen to you.   

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Feedback: These are only a couple of examples, you probably can think of some equally as devastating. True? 

Related article: JoePa Faces God

JoePa Faces God

Ugly

The recent situation has been the drop of poison that ruined the soup of 60 years of great works and donations by Joe Paterno at Penn State. All of the fabulous efforts spent inspiring and challenging young people and excelling in coaching is now stained.

The situation is so bad that they have already taken his name off of the Big 10 championship trophy and there have been rumors about plans to remove the statue of him from outside Beaver Stadium. The shame is overwhelming—plus he realizes he did it to himself.

Ever create a nightmare of your own?

Although there’s little chance you’ve ever done something on this scale, it’s unusual that any of us go through life without creating some kind of excruciating, embarrassing nightmare scenario of our own. The kind of thing that once it’s done cannot be undone and cannot be denied.

So at the point that it’s too big of a mess for you to fix what do you do to get back on track and living a energized productive life?

What should Joe do?

First—admit it! You confess and accept blame. That’s the first thing God wants out of you.

Then you pray and ask His help, after all, it’s way past the point that Joe can do much about it. This has fallen to the level that only God can create a healing solution and bring peace.

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. (John 14:27)

Joe did that. 

He said we need to pray for "those kids." He wanted those concerned to help him ask for God's intervention.

Sandusky? No praying there. No asking God's help, so he won't get any. He is more interested in protecting himself than helping those who were reported to be harmed and abused so he continues to live in denial.

Joe said “I should have done more. I regret it more than anything in my life.”

On the other hand, the alleged perpetrator, Sandusky, got on TV and denied it. Wrong Move. Nothing good is going to happen until you make the first step.

So what do you do after that?

When the first step in recovering from any self inflicted disaster is to repent, the next step is to ask God's help. Joe is doing that. 

No one is surprised because that has been the overwhelming pattern to his life. To accept responsibility. To take a stand for what’s right and encourage and insist that those around them do the same.

Cast your cares upon the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. (Psalm 55:22)

Joe made mistakes, bad ones. But we are all capable of creating nightmares. Thank goodness when we do, we have someone to turn to who can bring peace.

Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you. (I Peter 5:7)