Relief Pitcher Jason Motte.  Photo by Barbara Moore

No one is perfect.

On August 16, 2012, Jason Motte was far from it.

Motte – currently a relief pitcher for the Colorado Rockies, was then serving as the closer for the St. Louis Cardinals.  The Cardinals were playing the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks, and were leading 1-0 in the ninth.  Cardinals manager Mike Mattheny called on his trusty reliever to record the final three outs and bring the Cards to victory.  After recording the first out, Diamondbacks slugger Paul Goldschmidt stepped up to the plate.  He homered to tie the game at 1.  The next batter was outfielder Chris Young.  He hit the go ahead homer, and the Diamondbacks won the game.

Later that evening, Motte found himself at a difficult place for an athlete to be after a tough night; Twitter.  The Twitterverse usually isn’t kind to a pitcher after a blown save.  But that night, one comment struck him.  Someone wrote to Motte these words; “No one is perfect.”  Motte responded; “One person was, and [because] of Him, I have peace.”  Motte spent some time that night on Twitter, talking baseball and faith among other things.  His final tweet of the evening read; “Not my first, probably won’t be my last.  Learn from the mistakes, correct them, and go get ’em next time.  #blessed.”

It’s often said that closers have to have selective short-term memory to be successful.  It can be a challenge to simply put the past behind you and try again.  Motte’s faith helps him do it.  He explained it this way in the book entitled “Intentional Walk: An Inside Look at the Faith that Drives the St. Louis Cardinals;” “Guys ask me, ‘How do you forget about it?’  Honestly, my faith helps a lot.  One of my favorite Bible verses is John 3:16, and it is one of those verses that lets you know that no matter what happens, He is there for you.  That’s how I feel after I pitch, no matter if it’s a good night or a bad night.  Just because a guy is religious doesn’t mean he can’t have a bad game.  But it can’t control your life.”

No one is perfect.  Not even the strongest Christians. But God loves us even in our struggles.  That’s why John 3:16 happened; For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believers in Him shall note perish but have eternal life.

Jesus, the one and only perfect one, came to save us who are imperfect.  1 Peter 1:22 says this of our Savior; He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.  When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats.  Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.  He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed.”