As this year’s baseball season dawns, allow me to share with you a modern day baseball/church parable that has circulated for years.  I am unaware of the source, but may it challenge us to be in church on Sunday ready to field our position.

Behold a ball team went forth to play a game of ball.

Just as the umpire was saying “Batter Up,” the catcher for the home team arrived and took his place. The center fielder and the second baseman didn’t arrive until the middle of the second inning. The first baseman didn’t come at all, but later sent his regrets and said that he had to go to a family reunion. The third baseman likewise failed to show up, having been up late the night before watching television, and preferred to spend the rest of the day in bed. The left fielder was away attending another ball game across town. The shortstop was present, but left his glove at home.

Verily when the pitcher stepped onto the mound, he looked around to see his teammates, and lo, his heart was heavy when he saw many empty places in the lineup. The game had been announced, and visitors were already in the stands to see the game. There was nothing left for him to do but go ahead and pitch and hope for the best.

So the pitcher tightened his belt, stepped to the mound and did his level best to put it over the plate. But for some strange reason he just couldn’t find the groove. Some of his teammates began to ride him for wild pitching and booed him all through the game.

At the close of the game, his home team was mercilessly beaten. The game produced a considerable amount of discussion and when the rest of the team heard about the disgraceful defeat, everyone decided that the reasons should be found. They finally came to a unanimous decision: it must have been the pitcher’s poor pitching that lost the game.

Behold, a sunny Sunday morning, a preacher stood up to preach . . . but that’s another story.

May God help us all to be team players who contribute faithfully to the work He wants to do in our churches.

There is a difference between making a mistake and committing a sin.

Let me give you an illustration from family life. Children like to try to do things for themselves. A child trying to be helpful and pour her own milk may not always pay close attention to what she is doing and sometimes may spill the milk. That is an accident. She didn’t mean to, she didn’t plan to, she didn’t spend a long time resisting the urge to spill it, she didn’t in her mind say, “I know I am not supposed to spill this, but I just love to watch it puddle on the floor.”

When such an accident occurs, a parent patiently gets her a wet cloth and helps her clean up her mess so she can learn from the experience. Then together they try again and pour another glass of milk.

Another time a child may venture out into the yard without telling anyone. NOT AN ACCIDENT. Mom told him several times not to do that, warned of the dangers, and apprised him of the consequences. Yet he did it anyway. For that he is punished. He was again given the reasons why he should not go outside – warned of the dangers, and apprised of further consequences should he do it again. Mom doesn’t punish him because it’s fun to do so, but because she loves him and knows that he is not yet able to fend for himself outside alone. Parents punish to reinforce the dangers of willfully disobeying parents who have a child’s best interest at heart.

The difference . . . when milk spills, there is more where that came from, but if a child is harmed outside, there is only one of that particular precious child. With sin, the stakes are much higher.

If you have made some unwise choices, cut yourself some slack. Sure you may be reaping the unpleasant consequences of making mistakes, but God is not punishing you. He may be allowing you to remain in those consequences for a season to remind you of the need to be more careful and seek His wisdom next time, but it is not punishment for sin. Thank God that He is willing to clean up the mess with you and pour you another glass of milk so you can try again.

If you are under His chastisement because you have sinned – willfully disobeyed Him – then know also that the motive of His chastisement is love and the purpose of His chastisement is correction. He hasn’t abandoned you, but in love He is in the process of maturing you and preparing you to achieve His ultimate purpose for you – the image of Christ formed in you.

We grow spiritually when we deal with sin seriously and learn through mistakes. The two are different, but both can be stepping-stones to growth.

“Kick ‘em while they’re down” seems to be the philosophy of many these days. Some people revel in the hurts of others, and the only reason I can figure is that is takes their minds off of their own ills. Let a man make a mistake and the rumors start flying. Let a woman have a bad run of circumstances and suddenly she is the “talk” of the town. I’ve seen too many hurting people damaged irreparably by others who like to pile misery on top of misery in the lives of other people.

Yet, consider this descriptive prophecy concerning Jesus:

…a bruised reed He will not break,
and a faintly burning wick He will not quench;
He will faithfully bring forth justice. – Isaiah 42:3

Let me suggest two thoughts to consider today. First, if your tender heart (bruised reed) is broken or you feel like you are burned out (smoldering wick), know that Jesus is not about to finish you off. No, rather, He is in the process of eventually bringing justice to your situation. He loves you and is not finished with you. That justice will come on HIS terms and HIS timing and probably will not match your definition of justice, but it will be right and good in HIS eyes.

Second, who do you know that is a bruised reed or smoldering wick? Take the time to intentionally encourage them. Keep them at the forefront of your prayers and speak hope into their lives as often as you can. Don’t be part of the evil crowd who, with pack mentality, find great pleasure in ripping the vulnerable to shreds.

Every person is redeemable and redeem-worthy. Where we have been and what we have done matters so much less than where we are and where we are headed. Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future. Join me today in committing ourselves to being a healing salve to hurting hearts.

Have you ever heard the admonition: “Don’t settle for less!” Unfortunately, in our day and age, many people do not heed such good advice. Some folks are too willing to find self-satisfaction merely being better than others even if most are better than they are. They generally hold others to a much higher standard than they hold themselves.

This reality even finds its way into the spiritual fabric of many people. Casual Christians have somehow grown accustomed to offering to God nothing more than a “good effort.” Twenty-first century Christians are not the first of God’s people to fall into this lethargy, however. Numbers 32 tells the story of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh requesting to settle on the east side of the Jordan River rather than the west side, or The Promised Land. Simply put, when it came to God’s plan, they were not “all in.”

Think about that for a moment. The reason the Hebrews fled Egypt was to take residence in the land God had promised them for an inheritance, yet they desired to establish their homes short of that goal. The reasons are various. In some cases, it was self-centeredness. Rather than gamble on the fact that the Promised Land was as fruitful and fertile as reported, these tribes who were rich in livestock wanted to play it safe and remain in a place where they knew what they would get. They valued their herds more than their faith in the promise of God.

Another reason some did not want to leave the east side of the Jordan was fear. These were afraid that their wives and children would perish in a land filled with unknown enemies and elements. They heard the stories the majority bloc of spies had told of giants and other perils in the land. They were not willing to believe that the promise of God would not only be beneficial, but also safe.

Another reason some decided to remain behind was nostalgia. Reading the Old Testament account of dividing the land may seem boring, but one interesting highlight is that many of those clan leaders from the tribes who remained on the east side were men who had led in great conquests over the Edomites and Moabites encountered along the wilderness journey. Undoubtedly, these men still basked in the glow of victory. They continued to live on the emotional high of what they had experienced in their past rather than expecting to experience the power and glory of God in even greater measure.

What about you? What keeps you from being “all in” with your commitment to Christ? Are you more concerned with your own well-being? Do you value your “stuff” more than a radical disciple relationship with Jesus? Do you think for one moment that your plan is better for you than His? Do you doubt that the provision of God would also accompany the plan of God? Are you relishing the emotional highs of past experiences rather than seeking a fresh touch from God today?

Why not turn loose of the ball and chain of mediocrity and follow Christ daily with a radical abandon that motivates you to be ready and willing to do what He says do and go where He says go. The payoff is incomparable. You can have so much more than what you are clutching if you will offer yourself daily as a living sacrifice.

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?” – Matthew 16:24-26

I once watched a show called America’s Heartland, which featured a unique farm in Utah. A doctor moved his family to Utah to teach his kids the need to get away, slow down, and simplify life. One particular day as the doctor/farmer was leveling a hill with his backhoe, he uncovered something that would that would change his farm forever. He discovered the remains of a dinosaur footprint.

Paleontologists from all over visited the farm and excavations began, which uncovered a number of fossilized footprints, bones, skin impressions, and other items of Paleolithic interest. Rather than turn his unsuccessful farm into a subdivision – as many had done in his area – the farmer spurned the millions of dollars he could have made and donated the land to the city.

The subsequent investigations have shown quite an ecological hub of activity in the prehistory of that farm. Archaeologists have discovered fossils for fish, fowl, flora, and fauna. A fresh water lake once existed at the farm, which was a center of activity for prehistoric wildlife. Their activity is there for us to see and learn from even today. Those creatures were simply carrying on their normal activity, living their lives “in the moment” as we like to say, yet today we can look at what remains from their existence and learn about their world.

Hebrews 11 lists the names of ordinary men and women who made an extraordinary difference in their world. They did not set out to be in the Bible, they simply lived everyday life seeking to follow God and experience Him in the mundane routines of their existence. But what of my life? Am I walking with God in such a way that I will leave a lasting effect on those whose lives I encountered? We find the key to leaving a footprint in the opening verses of the chapter that follows the stories of those men and women of faith:

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. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him 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 sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. – Hebrews 12:1-3

I wonder what kind of footprint I am leaving. Years down the road, will anyone be able to look back at my life and see that God was at work in me? Am I leaving any evidence that God is real and that He makes a difference in my life? Is my normal, everyday existence so impacted by my relationship with God that people will be able to look back at my life and trace His hand? Will they see the greatness of God in the fossils of my existence? Let’s leave a Godly footprint, friends. Future generations are watching.

Athletes call it a slump. Out of nowhere for no apparent reason, one seemingly loses the ability to do the most basic things that used to come so naturally. A basketball player finds free throws impossible to make. A golfer goes through a spell where even a tap-in putt can be an disaster. A hitter in baseball temporarily loses the ability to put the bat on the ball for solid contact, and when he does, he hits it sharply, but directly to a defender.

No one knows what causes slumps, and even worse, no one knows how to cure them. They appear unannounced and magically disappear just as mysteriously. The protocol for most slumping athletes is to maintain the basics, keep doing the little things – slog – until all of a sudden, a switch flips and once again, the athlete returns to true form.

I think that is sound advice for a spiritual slump as well. When it seems God is silent and we are lacking the spiritual vitality and power we experience at other times, the most beneficial thing we can do is be faithful to the basics – Bible reading and prayer. When you find it difficult to read your Bible, try reading through Psalms. When you find your prayers dry and mechanical use the hymnal as a prayer book, praying through the truths found in the great hymns of the faith.  Eventually, God will reveal His presence again, and you will experience the rich fellowship of the Holy Spirit if you will but remain faithful to exercise the spiritual disciplines all the while patiently waiting on God to bring you through the dry spiritual slump you experience for a season of time. Hang in there, but hang in there actively. God will hear, and He will bring an end to your slump.

I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;
He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord. – Psalm 40:1-3

My friend, Bobby Simpson, recently passed on to me this most helpful quote: “Small steps consistently taken in the same direction will carry you a long way.” While that point is true, it must come with one caveat: we need to be mindful of the direction in which we are taking even the small steps.

Some pretty famous Biblical characters had some obvious sinful moments. Moses had anger issues and even murdered someone once. David got lazy, didn’t turn from lust, and eventually committed adultery. As physically powerful as was Samson, his pride and moral weakness led him to defeat. Scripture records many others who experienced moments of sin and disobedience, but I do not remember not even ONE person in the Bible waking up one day and saying, “Today I am going to go out and sin and disobey God.” As a matter of fact, their sins, just like mine and yours are the product of a slow, unnoticeable, gradual drift of our hearts away from God.

Small steps taken in the WRONG direction will carry us a long way to sin. None of us while walking closely to the Lord decide to abruptly change course and plunge headlong into sin. Yet, I have witnessed (and to some thankfully small degree experienced) the effects of a life that continues a dangerous and tragic drift away from God. James 1:14 reminds us that each of us is tempted when we are “lured” and “enticed” by our own evil desires. Drift. Small steps. Wrong direction. Spiritual catastrophe.

With that in mind, today, I want to encourage all of us to mind the little things in our lives. Take a daily inventory of where you are in relation to God. Consider a daily examination of the following areas and accompanying verses.

• What are you thinking about? Philippians 4:8

• What captures your heart and attention? What do you desire? Colossians 3:1-2

• What are you looking at with your eyes? Psalm 101:3

• What are you listening to with your ears? Proverbs 20:19; Romans 16:17-18

• With whom am I associating? 1 Corinthians 15:33

• Am I saturating my life with God’s Word? Psalm 119:9, 11

The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step…even the journey into sin. Watch where you are stepping.