Yes, it is still February and we could have more snow across Tennessee before Spring officially arrives, but it’s the time of year that hundreds of thousands of baseball fans look forward to — the official start of spring training.
There’s something about baseball that mirrors life. If it didn’t exist, we’d never say:
“He’s out in the field.”
“He knocked it out of the park.”
“I just wanted to touch base.”
“I went to bat for her.”
Or
“He really through me a curve.”
The metaphors continue when we think of certain prayers.
Rube Waddell was probably the best pitcher of his era. In his 13-year career from 1897 to 1910, he compiled 193 wins, a 2.16 ERA, and 2,316 strikeouts. Many thought he was better than Cy Young. But he never received the recognition and legendary status as a great pitcher because he was so strange and flawed.
He was so easily distracted. If he saw a puppy, he’d stop whatever he was doing to take a closer look at any time. And I mean any time! Even in the middle of a close game. Opposing fans caught on to his Achilles heel and started bringing puppies to the game to thwart his pitching performance. Distraction is perhaps why we have a Cy Young Award instead of a Rube Waddell Award.
I think we can relate to Rube these days. It’s easy for us to take our eyes off the ball, especially when it comes to all the relentless denominational chatter we hear these days. We’ve seen so much controversy over major and minor league issues, and these conflicts are dwarfed by the fact that millions of people will enter eternity without Jesus. Like Rube Waddell, many of us are too easily distracted by social media, theological nuances, different opinions about things that happened three years ago, political figures, worship styles, church practice and a thousand other things.
We often forget the blessing of cooperation. Some think that the word cooperation is an outdated term. But cooperation sends over 3,500 Southern Baptists around the world to reach lost people headed for a Christ-less eternity. It trains the next generation of pastors, missionaries and leaders.
It reaches people on the worst day of their lives with assistance and the gospel through Disaster Relief. It shows compassion to those who desperately need it. The Good News of Jesus reaches into prisons, synagogues, mosques, college campuses and mud huts. And we’re just getting started. As Yogi Berra would say, “You can observe a lot by watching.”
Reaching people with the Good News of Jesus takes focus. We have to keep our eyes on our purpose as Paul challenges us in Philippians 3:14:
But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
A distracted mind is often our worst enemy. We must not miss this opportunity to evangelize because we are tangled in a web of pettiness and pride. Like Yogi said, “90 percent of the game is half mental!”
I’m convinced that our best days in the SBC are just ahead if we continue to work together. The Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering continue to break records. We see pockets of revival in Tennessee and around the world. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to stay in the clubhouse when there’s so much happening on the field. I believe we are way past the seventh inning stretch and we’re all praying for a rally. Like Yogi said, “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.
Don’t be a Rube, constantly distracted by foolish, non-essential issues. Let’s stick with the game plan. Let’s focus on winning Tennessee and the world with the gospel.
LET’S GO! B&R