My favorite time of the year is
finally here. Yes, it is fall, but more than that, the World Series! It is
especially fun knowing your team is on the way once again. I was able to go to
the St Louis Cardinals World Series game in 2011, Game 2. What a wow factor to
be in the stands cheering on your team in a sea of red. In Game 7 they won the
2011 World Series.
Can you imagine if you were in the middle of the field and the entire stadium was cheering for you? I wonder if life would be easy having all those cheers encouraging you and motivating you to do your best. However, amongst all the cheering, there is likely also one shouting “boo,” especially when something goes wrong and or someone dislikes you and wants to let you know.
Second, a group of players makes up the team: pitchers, catchers, basemen, out-fielders, etc. Together, they become the team, individual players that work together to win the game. They fight together through the last inning of the game, hoping for victory against their opponent. A team can be a group of people or a select few in your life that are your cheerleaders: family members, co-workers, your work-out buddy or even your minister. Whoever it may be, your close circle of supporters, it is necessary to have that one who will help you know when to steal a base, to take that chance and to hold you accountable. It is also important to have those team members to help you to know when to stay on base or slide when in danger. A team comes together and cheers you on. However, the coach’s job is to play fair and to give you that extra advice needed to play the best game.
Third, there are “umpires” or enforcers to keep you on the straight and narrow path. It is interesting how the umpire calls strikes, balls, outs, and tosses unruly players and spectators out of the game. Umpires are those people in our life that helps our conscious be safe. In life, you may run across people similar to an umpire that makes a ruling or a judgment call that is not satisfactory to you. If you are an umpire in someone’s life be very careful. If you happen to judge someone by what others say, how will you truly understand who they really are? If you think you know everything about that person before giving them an opportunity to show you otherwise, you are selling yourself and the other person short. It is always best to examine your own character first and think about how you are going to approach that person, giving them the benefit, before judging them.
Fourth, there are judgment calls. Umpires have to train and make judging calls against a foul, a strike, safe, out, ball or a time out call. They call it as they see it and are sometimes wrong. There is nothing worse than an umpire making a quick determination and later finding out he was wrong. A spectator may think he saw the opposite of the umpire’s call and “boo” out to the field, but a replay of action will either correct the spectator or the umpire. Think carefully before making a judgment call. It is a challenge to contain our thoughts. Therefore, do not judge others by your own thoughts. Everyone is living a different life than you are. What you feel is right for you may not be right for them. Life’s curveballs, right or wrong, can be the best hit for another person. Sometimes we have to allow others to make their own mistakes and own decisions. Sometimes our mistakes can be a blessing for them.
Eighth, stealing bases is encouraged in baseball. A player has to leave first base and steal second, or gamble leaving third base for home plate to score. Stealing bases takes risks in a chance to advance to the next base. In life, opportunities come along and you need to decide if you are going to “steal ahead” to move forward in your life, taking a chance you are making the right decision. It is a gamble that requires careful thought and maybe sacrifice. Sometimes ‘stealing to get ahead’ is discouraged. Stealing a base or “taking a risk” allows you to advance your faith. Peter took that chance of ‘stealing the chance’ to walk on water. His faith grew because he took the chance to walk, where no human had been able to in the past. Don’t forget there are signs in baseball, from coaches and other team members, who point and give you the go ahead to advance. Watch for what God is doing in your life, so that you can advance.
Can you imagine if you were in the middle of the field and the entire stadium was cheering for you? I wonder if life would be easy having all those cheers encouraging you and motivating you to do your best. However, amongst all the cheering, there is likely also one shouting “boo,” especially when something goes wrong and or someone dislikes you and wants to let you know.
How is baseball like life?
First, there are rules. Outs are defined by a list of criteria. Hits are
determined by the parameters of the ball diamond. Nine innings constitute a
full game, but there is no time limit and not knowing when the game will end.
On rare occasions those innings are expanded. Like the game for St Louis
against the LA Dodgers on October 11, 2013, playing until the 13th
inning. Sometimes rules are boundaries. In every relationship healthy
boundaries are mandatory. Boundaries are established to ensure the safety of
each person that enters into the relationship. Crossing boundaries may violate
the other person; the rule was broken. Someone may be an enabler to an
alcoholic, providing the drink, and before you know it the ninth inning is
here, the final pitch thrown and the game is over with the final out. Someone
may have lost their life to substance abuse; the other enabled by supporting
the habit and did not do anything by calling a time-out for help. Know your
boundaries and stick to them. Be open in your relationship about your
boundaries and respect the other person’s boundaries as well.
Second, a group of players makes up the team: pitchers, catchers, basemen, out-fielders, etc. Together, they become the team, individual players that work together to win the game. They fight together through the last inning of the game, hoping for victory against their opponent. A team can be a group of people or a select few in your life that are your cheerleaders: family members, co-workers, your work-out buddy or even your minister. Whoever it may be, your close circle of supporters, it is necessary to have that one who will help you know when to steal a base, to take that chance and to hold you accountable. It is also important to have those team members to help you to know when to stay on base or slide when in danger. A team comes together and cheers you on. However, the coach’s job is to play fair and to give you that extra advice needed to play the best game.
Third, there are “umpires” or enforcers to keep you on the straight and narrow path. It is interesting how the umpire calls strikes, balls, outs, and tosses unruly players and spectators out of the game. Umpires are those people in our life that helps our conscious be safe. In life, you may run across people similar to an umpire that makes a ruling or a judgment call that is not satisfactory to you. If you are an umpire in someone’s life be very careful. If you happen to judge someone by what others say, how will you truly understand who they really are? If you think you know everything about that person before giving them an opportunity to show you otherwise, you are selling yourself and the other person short. It is always best to examine your own character first and think about how you are going to approach that person, giving them the benefit, before judging them.
Fourth, there are judgment calls. Umpires have to train and make judging calls against a foul, a strike, safe, out, ball or a time out call. They call it as they see it and are sometimes wrong. There is nothing worse than an umpire making a quick determination and later finding out he was wrong. A spectator may think he saw the opposite of the umpire’s call and “boo” out to the field, but a replay of action will either correct the spectator or the umpire. Think carefully before making a judgment call. It is a challenge to contain our thoughts. Therefore, do not judge others by your own thoughts. Everyone is living a different life than you are. What you feel is right for you may not be right for them. Life’s curveballs, right or wrong, can be the best hit for another person. Sometimes we have to allow others to make their own mistakes and own decisions. Sometimes our mistakes can be a blessing for them.
Fifth, there are mistakes made during a ball game. Baseball players make
mistakes. Whether they decide to throw to first base, when the easy out was at
second can be a costly mistake. What do we remember? The mistake or the game
they won? We all make mistakes, however, do not harbor the mistakes of another
person. Those thoughts are cancerous and can consume you. One negative may
destroy a mountain of positives. I learned from a mentor a long time ago the
following saying: “If you look at the bad in a person, there is enough to hate
them. If you look at the good in a person, there is enough to love them.” If
people are truly trying to play the game fairly, then allow the memory of the
fun times to remain and expulse the mistake. Often a team member decides to move
on. It is a difficult choice of letting go of someone you truly admire. Capture
those moments in life and remember the good about them.
Sixth, there are always disrupters during a game. What do you do with the
squirrels on the outfield or the streakers, both which disrupt the games?
Granted they can create bad memories, but if you understand the bad, which
happens in your life, and release it through forgiveness, you can enjoy the
rest of the game. One can play the victim and complain they were taken advantage
of or become the victor and look at it all as part of the game and focus on the
positive moments, like when your team won. Even when you lose a game, it
becomes part of who you are because of the experience.
Seventh, there are sacrifices made for the benefit of the team. Often times our team member sacrifices themselves to get a runner home. In life, our sacrifices are similar. Parents sacrifice for their children. Spouses should sacrifice for each other. Sacrificing is putting aside your intentions for that moment to yield for another person to live in their intention for that moment. This creates a team; it causes a bond.
Seventh, there are sacrifices made for the benefit of the team. Often times our team member sacrifices themselves to get a runner home. In life, our sacrifices are similar. Parents sacrifice for their children. Spouses should sacrifice for each other. Sacrificing is putting aside your intentions for that moment to yield for another person to live in their intention for that moment. This creates a team; it causes a bond.
Eighth, stealing bases is encouraged in baseball. A player has to leave first base and steal second, or gamble leaving third base for home plate to score. Stealing bases takes risks in a chance to advance to the next base. In life, opportunities come along and you need to decide if you are going to “steal ahead” to move forward in your life, taking a chance you are making the right decision. It is a gamble that requires careful thought and maybe sacrifice. Sometimes ‘stealing to get ahead’ is discouraged. Stealing a base or “taking a risk” allows you to advance your faith. Peter took that chance of ‘stealing the chance’ to walk on water. His faith grew because he took the chance to walk, where no human had been able to in the past. Don’t forget there are signs in baseball, from coaches and other team members, who point and give you the go ahead to advance. Watch for what God is doing in your life, so that you can advance.
Ninth, there are strikes and there are outs. Baseball players are real on
the field. There isn’t anywhere to hide, but in the dugout. The most valuable endowment we can give those
closest to us is honesty. Yet we often suppress our true selves from friends,
dreading we won't be acknowledged or loved if we let them see the real us.
Often, we show parts of ourselves that conceal who we really are. If we hide
too much behind false images, we run the risk of losing track of what is real
and what is false. We become actors instead of real people, trying to please
others. Sometimes we strike out in people’s lives. Sometimes when we get caught
not being who we are to be, then we could be out of that person’s life.
When we overpower our fear of letting others in, we are able to see
ourselves honestly. To know and accept you is to be a person of value. Life is
too short to be lived in hiding. Accept yourself for who you are and embrace
the freedom and live life being honest to yourself and others. You are one of
life’s Most Valuable Players. Be known
as a MVP in life! Now, let’s get out there and play ball. The inning has just
begun and in the end of our life the World Series begins!
By faith (Forging Attitude In Trusting Him)
By faith (Forging Attitude In
Trusting Him)
