This weekend I was watching the new XFL football league, and I found it fascinating. They allow you to listen to the coaches making play calls, they have cameras all over the place, and they interview players on the sidelines. This makes for exciting and often embarrassing interactions as I saw on Saturday.

One of the quarterbacks threw his second interception, and he was visibly upset. The reporter interviewed him immediately after the play, and instead of holding back, he let his emotions take over and ranted against teammates, coaches, and the play calling.

What the announcer said in response was some wisdom I had not expected to hear. He stated, “You have got to stay the same guy all the time. As the quarterback of the team, you are the leader and you need to control your emotions, whether you throw a touchdown or interception.”

I grabbed my pen and wrote down his words. He went on to say how a leader cannot lead based on the emotions of his last success or failure. He needs to focus on the next play and moving the team forward.

His words were wise and insightful to what it means to be a quarterback, but also had an application for our walk with Jesus. Every day is filled with successes and failures. If you focus on only one of those aspects of your life, you can be overcome with destructive emotions. See only the mistakes, failures, and negative parts, and you can become depressed. Keep focused on the successes, and you can quickly be filled with pride. You must be the same person all the time and lead from a place of your identity in Christ and not based on your emotions.

As a follower of Jesus, you are uniquely created in the image of God and saved by His grace through Jesus Christ. No failure can take this from you, and no success can add to it. No matter what last week or last weekend brought in your life, you can move forward in faith, confidently reassured that you are the same person.