The story is told of a man who arrived a bit late one afternoon to a little league baseball game. He asked a boy in the dugout what the score was. The boy responded, “Eighteen to nothing-we’re behind.” “Boy,” said the spectator, “I’ll bet you’re discouraged.” “Why should I be discouraged?” replied the little boy. “We haven’t even gotten up to bat yet!”
As I pen this, it is late at night. My wife and I have just gotten home form the fifth little league game in six days. All I will say about tonight’s game is how thankful I am for the mercy rule of seven runs per inning, or I might still be at the field. The next two evenings also have games scheduled. While I look forward to them, I can only hope they will not be quite as lengthy.
Oh well, such is to be expected when you have been blessed with seven grandsons. And my wife and I would not have it any other way.
She grew up playing organized recreation league softball. Her father helped coach her various teams. In truth, she was (and still is) a gifted athlete. Growing up on a farm, after school chores largely prevented me from participation in organized sports. I did play some ball in middle and high school; but I was never what one might consider an outstanding athlete.
Still, I recognize the value to kids of participating in organized sports. For here, one learns to improve his or her basic physical skills, including balance, hand to eye coordination, stamina, and the like. One also learns basic mathematical skills, as he or she deals with pitch counts, outs, innings, and similar matters.
Beyond this, one learns rules and how to apply them, both for fair play and for one’s advantage in competition. Lastly, such lessons as personal discipline, sportsmanship, how to be a team player, how to both a good winner and a good loser, etc. are also brought to bear.
For these and other reasons, even with the busy schedule with which a Pastor is so often strapped, my wife and I always saw to it that our three children were each given the opportunity to participate in team sports – be that football, baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball, and/or track. We knew that doing so would be beneficial for them.
We are not the first to appreciate all sports have to offer. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul often referenced sports, underscoring their value. For instance, he employs sports metaphors in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, 2 Timothy 4:8; Philippians 3:13-14; Galatians 5:7; and (if one assumes that he is the author the book of Hebrews) also in Hebrews 12:1-3. In these various passages, he talks about such concepts as forgetting, reaching, pressing, as well as striving for the prize.
I could not help but reflect on these things as my grandson came to the plate tonight. In his first game, he struck out twice. In his second game, he finally got on base via an error made by the opposing team. In game three, he actually got two hits and two RBIs. Tonight, he topped all of this with a home run!
Ok. Let me back up and qualify the last statement. He made great contact, driving the ball to left field. His first base coach sent him around first to second base, where an overthrow allowed him to advance to third. Just as he arrived at the base, the opposing second basemen had recovered the ball and fired it toward third, where the third baseman failed to catch it. As the ball dribbled up to the dugout wall, the third base coach sent my grandson barreling home.
The ball arrived at home plate a couple of seconds after my grandson slid in amidst a cloud of dust. Suffice it to say that a single with a three base error instantly became an inside the park homerun in the eyes of an adoring family and accompanying fans!
Of course, he has a long way to go when it comes to figuring out how to play the game. But for now, the exhilaration of getting a hit, running the bases, and making it home, all without being tagged out, made quite an impression on the little lad. He was beaming with pride as the game ended and he came running into our midst to celebrate!
And yet, more was on display here than mere child’s play - far more. You see, my strong suspicion is that underneath all the excitement and merriment, a much more serious matter was unfolding. For as he made contact, as he drove the ball, as he advanced to first, as he grasped the errors that allowed him to advance, and as he finally raced to the plate at the urging of a third base coach and 30 to 40 fans, he was slowly and subtly beginning to figure out the rules to the game.
It was all starting to make sense. Hitting, running, scoring, all these things were starting to make sense as the fundamentals of the game. I have no doubt that tonight, as this little five year old boy laid down to sleep, he found himself actually looking forward to his next game, his next at bat, his next chance to run the bases, his next chance to make it home! And when that time comes, he will likely have much more confidence, which will likely translate into much more production.
Now for the famous $64 question… “Does this not work the same way in one’s spiritual life?” The New Testament reminds us that it does. Followers of Jesus are described as babes in Christ who mature over time. They are born anew, they exist off of spiritual milk, and they begin to grow in their faith. In time, they move from the milk of the word to the meat of the word. As they do, they practice spiritual discipline. They exercise their spiritual muscles. They refine their spiritual sight. They coordinate their spiritual senses.
In the process, they mature and become adept at spiritual matters. Soon, they begin to experience little victories. And little victories then give way to bigger victories. Ultimately, the bigger victories become more and more significant. Eventually, of course, the ultimate victory of eternal life is achieved. Such things give believers heart.
Little wonder that the Apostle Paul affirmed (in the New Testament Book of Philippians, chapter 3, verses 13-14):
This one thing I focus on: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
The writer of the New Testament Book of Hebrews (in chapter 12, verses 1-3) echoes this sentiment when he writes:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Amen! That, my friends, is well worth hearing. For that, my friends, is far more than mere child’s play!
JOKE SOURCE:
https://www.family-times.net/illustration/Hope/201350/.
SCRIPTURE SOURCES:
https://jmichaellester.com/lessons-from-pauls-references-to-athletics/;
https://biblehub.com/nlt/philippians/3.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/hebrews/12.htm.
As I pen this, it is late at night. My wife and I have just gotten home form the fifth little league game in six days. All I will say about tonight’s game is how thankful I am for the mercy rule of seven runs per inning, or I might still be at the field. The next two evenings also have games scheduled. While I look forward to them, I can only hope they will not be quite as lengthy.
Oh well, such is to be expected when you have been blessed with seven grandsons. And my wife and I would not have it any other way.
She grew up playing organized recreation league softball. Her father helped coach her various teams. In truth, she was (and still is) a gifted athlete. Growing up on a farm, after school chores largely prevented me from participation in organized sports. I did play some ball in middle and high school; but I was never what one might consider an outstanding athlete.
Still, I recognize the value to kids of participating in organized sports. For here, one learns to improve his or her basic physical skills, including balance, hand to eye coordination, stamina, and the like. One also learns basic mathematical skills, as he or she deals with pitch counts, outs, innings, and similar matters.
Beyond this, one learns rules and how to apply them, both for fair play and for one’s advantage in competition. Lastly, such lessons as personal discipline, sportsmanship, how to be a team player, how to both a good winner and a good loser, etc. are also brought to bear.
For these and other reasons, even with the busy schedule with which a Pastor is so often strapped, my wife and I always saw to it that our three children were each given the opportunity to participate in team sports – be that football, baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball, and/or track. We knew that doing so would be beneficial for them.
We are not the first to appreciate all sports have to offer. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul often referenced sports, underscoring their value. For instance, he employs sports metaphors in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, 2 Timothy 4:8; Philippians 3:13-14; Galatians 5:7; and (if one assumes that he is the author the book of Hebrews) also in Hebrews 12:1-3. In these various passages, he talks about such concepts as forgetting, reaching, pressing, as well as striving for the prize.
I could not help but reflect on these things as my grandson came to the plate tonight. In his first game, he struck out twice. In his second game, he finally got on base via an error made by the opposing team. In game three, he actually got two hits and two RBIs. Tonight, he topped all of this with a home run!
Ok. Let me back up and qualify the last statement. He made great contact, driving the ball to left field. His first base coach sent him around first to second base, where an overthrow allowed him to advance to third. Just as he arrived at the base, the opposing second basemen had recovered the ball and fired it toward third, where the third baseman failed to catch it. As the ball dribbled up to the dugout wall, the third base coach sent my grandson barreling home.
The ball arrived at home plate a couple of seconds after my grandson slid in amidst a cloud of dust. Suffice it to say that a single with a three base error instantly became an inside the park homerun in the eyes of an adoring family and accompanying fans!
Of course, he has a long way to go when it comes to figuring out how to play the game. But for now, the exhilaration of getting a hit, running the bases, and making it home, all without being tagged out, made quite an impression on the little lad. He was beaming with pride as the game ended and he came running into our midst to celebrate!
And yet, more was on display here than mere child’s play - far more. You see, my strong suspicion is that underneath all the excitement and merriment, a much more serious matter was unfolding. For as he made contact, as he drove the ball, as he advanced to first, as he grasped the errors that allowed him to advance, and as he finally raced to the plate at the urging of a third base coach and 30 to 40 fans, he was slowly and subtly beginning to figure out the rules to the game.
It was all starting to make sense. Hitting, running, scoring, all these things were starting to make sense as the fundamentals of the game. I have no doubt that tonight, as this little five year old boy laid down to sleep, he found himself actually looking forward to his next game, his next at bat, his next chance to run the bases, his next chance to make it home! And when that time comes, he will likely have much more confidence, which will likely translate into much more production.
Now for the famous $64 question… “Does this not work the same way in one’s spiritual life?” The New Testament reminds us that it does. Followers of Jesus are described as babes in Christ who mature over time. They are born anew, they exist off of spiritual milk, and they begin to grow in their faith. In time, they move from the milk of the word to the meat of the word. As they do, they practice spiritual discipline. They exercise their spiritual muscles. They refine their spiritual sight. They coordinate their spiritual senses.
In the process, they mature and become adept at spiritual matters. Soon, they begin to experience little victories. And little victories then give way to bigger victories. Ultimately, the bigger victories become more and more significant. Eventually, of course, the ultimate victory of eternal life is achieved. Such things give believers heart.
Little wonder that the Apostle Paul affirmed (in the New Testament Book of Philippians, chapter 3, verses 13-14):
This one thing I focus on: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
The writer of the New Testament Book of Hebrews (in chapter 12, verses 1-3) echoes this sentiment when he writes:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Amen! That, my friends, is well worth hearing. For that, my friends, is far more than mere child’s play!
JOKE SOURCE:
https://www.family-times.net/illustration/Hope/201350/.
SCRIPTURE SOURCES:
https://jmichaellester.com/lessons-from-pauls-references-to-athletics/;
https://biblehub.com/nlt/philippians/3.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/hebrews/12.htm.