Finding the Balance

Fernando Mendoza, the top overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, made his preseason debut on Thursday evening in a 27-14 defeat at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals.

Not surprisingly, it was a bit of an up-and-down performance for Mendoza, who came off the bench to relieve veteran Kirk Cousins. Mendoza threw two quick incompletions during his first series, as the Raiders were forced to punt.  

He then rebounded nicely on his second drive, connecting on an impressive 19-yard strike to fellow rookie Malik Benson before eventually capping off the possession with a six-yard scoring strike to Jack Bech. 

All told, Mendoza finished his preseason debut having completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and a score. 

After the game, Mendoza was quick to point out that he still has a long way to go in his development as an NFL quarterback.

Mendoza made this comment to reporters about his performance: “It showed me that I need to grow a lot...I'm definitely [watching the game film] after this.”

While Mendoza seemed focused on his mistakes and how he could improve moving forward, his head coach offered a more positive assessment of his young signal-caller's debut.

“I see an ascending player,” Kilint Kubiak said, highlighting the progress that Mendoza has made during his time in camp.

It isn't shocking to see Mendoza and Kubiak have slightly different perspectives on the Heisman Trophy winner's first live NFL action. After all, Mendoza is a fierce competitor who expects to perform at the highest level every time he takes the field.

In contrast, Kubiak takes a more calculated approach, understanding that all rookie quarterbacks are works in progress. 

At the end of the day, both of their perspectives are valid, and Mendoza needs to strike a balance between maintaining a healthy sense of urgency to improve and appreciating the progress he has already made.

As followers of Jesus, it is equally important for us to maintain a proper balance in our perspective on our battle against sin. 

On one hand, we should never be complacent or indifferent towards the remaining sin we war against every day. Even though we readily acknowledge that all true believers continue to struggle with sin throughout their time on earth, we never want to use that as an excuse to cease striving fervently to move towards greater obedience and practical righteousness. 

In Matthew 5:29 (NIV), Jesus spoke on the seriousness with which we are to wage war against sin by saying, “If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.”

Even though we know that we will eventually stumble, we should never use that as an excuse to lack zeal. We shouldn't give way to complacency, feeling completely satisfied with how far we have progressed as believers. 

Romans 13:14 (ESV) says, “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”

Yet, at the same time we want to feel an urgency to grow in holiness, we certainly don’t want to give way to despair because we continue to sin and fall short of the glory of God, as all people do (Romans 3:23).  

We must always remember that our right standing before God is not based on our improvement or efforts, but based on the righteousness of Christ imputed to us by faith.

Though it is good to take sin seriously and to experience godly grief when we stumble, that sin should never give way to despair because we understand that the blood of Christ fully paid the penalty for all of our sins.

In fact, the Bible tells us that meditating on what Christ has done for us helps fuel our growth in the Christian life.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NASB) says, “But we all, with unveiled faces, looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”

Furthermore, it is proper for us to be grateful for the growth God has brought about in our lives.  

We may still be “works in progress,” but that doesn’t mean we can’t be thankful for the progress that God has already brought about in us. 

Today, let’s do our best to have a proper balance in our view of the sin with which we struggle. Let’s take time to thank God for the sanctification He has worked in us and to be grateful for Jesus’ amazing sacrifice on the cross, while also maintaining an earnestness to continue moving towards greater maturity and obedience.

Just like Mendoza on the football field, let’s acknowledge we need to “grow a lot” and recognize we are also “ascending!”

I’m Matt Osborne, and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Your Son to die on the cross for my sins. Please help me to respond to Your great grace and mercy by continually growing in holiness. Let me never become complacent or indifferent towards the remaining sin in my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.