Dealing With Big League Problems

By: American Decency Staff

The sound of bat meeting ball and the replay of the baseball soaring over the deep centerfield fence is a beautiful sight to a baseball fan.

I still enjoy the spectacle of a batter making solid contact with a baseball, though I seldom have the time to watch a baseball game.  As a thirteen letter winner from my high school years and a physical education major in my undergrad days at Michigan State University, I am attentive to baseball trends.

So it is that I was moved by the story regarding a Detroit Tiger outfielder who has emerged out of the shadows to be selected as a representative for the Detroit Tigers in this year’s 2015 All Star game being played tonight at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.

J.D. Martinez was drafted in 2009 by the Houston Astros in the 20^th round, 611^th overall.  A rather inauspicious beginning as many drafted at the lower echelons languish in the minor leagues struggling to make it and stick in the “bigs”  –  never quite getting there.  With passing time, the Astros found Martinez expendable.  However, a Detroit Tiger insider witnessed Martinez displaying homerun prowess during winter league play. The Tigers took a chance and made a low risk offer to the Astros.   Martinez, then, in the spring of 2014 became a property of the Detroit Tigers.

This article shares an account of how, through hard work and persistence, J.D. Martinez worked his way out of ignominy to become one of the top homerun hitters in all of baseball.

Martinez’s persistence to improve impressed me, prompting me to consider those in my life who haven’t given in or given up when the odds were against them in their oft-time mundane, if not extremely difficult, lives.

Madeline comes to mind.  In her sixties, she went through risky back surgery that threatened to leave her paralyzed.   After surgery, she knew she faced not only months but years of continued exercise and therapy if she wanted to regain at least a semblance of her mobility and return to a portion of her physical capability. 

With dogged determination and without complaint, Madeline battled on and still battles on.  I have admired how she has come along side widows, needy young children, and strangers.  Serving, feeding, volunteering, caring, faithfully attending, and serving in the church where she is a member.  Behind the scenes.  Not seeking a word of commendation.

Whereas Martinez earns millions of dollars for his advancement (with much more  coming his way due to his enhanced performance), Madeline will find no financial remuneration for her gutty fight for fullness of life.  Unquestionably though, Madeline finds contentment in fighting the fight of faith and joy in serving Jesus!

I say all of this to make this point. 

Most of us (probably all of us) don’t and won’t find ourselves on a professional ball team making millions of dollars a year. If one of us did, I would hope that person would give most of it away.  Who needs even $200,000 a year to live exquisitely? Not me. I would guess not you either.

Some of us (most of us?) are down in the trenches without fanfare.  That’s not a bad thing.  But it is if you’ve given up and given in. It’s not good if you aren’t looking to God for help, hope, grace, mercy, forgiveness of sins, wisdom for the day, for the next moment. 

What I am saying should make you think of Jesus’ words in the Gospels:  “Hearing they do not hear.  Seeing they do not see.”

Pollster George Barna and Wallbuilder’s David Barton say that only 30% of Christians read the Bible and only 10% have ever even read through the Bible cover to cover. 

“In a country where between 78 to 80% say they’re Christian, only 34% say they believe in absolute moral truth,”David Barton, President of Wall Builders said.

The old adage goes:  “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.”

Wake up.  It’s time to wake up.  Wake up!  For the sake of Christ – that God would be glorified!  Please – wake up!

In closing, my burden is for even some of my loved ones – tired and discouraged ones who fail to stand up and fight against negative patterns and habits set by lethargy, silly (godless) choices, games on the tablet, the cell phone, the computer, etc.  Addicted to time-wasters who refuse to be helped and moved by God and His day by day truth in devotions, the Bible, faithfully seeking God’s help!  Bow the knee.  Bow the knee.  Bow the heart! 

You are needed for such a time as this.  Be as Madeline. Seek out what you can do and do it with heart and soul and mind! 

There are needs around you.  Let us each one look – look beyond ourselves.   

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