Back in the day, I used to coach baseball for kids. The kids were a lot of fun. The parents were a mixed blessing. Some years, the parents were a lot of fun. Other years, it seemed they were personal friends of the devil himself. Some parents were very supportive, and others couldn’t be pleased no matter what you did.
Balancing the win-at-all-costs group with the let’s have fun group was always a challenge. Some parents were thrilled if their kids got to play at all. Others complained even if their kids played every inning because they felt their child would have been better utilized in another position.
When I coached the house league (baseballcommunity level, fun ball), I always worked hard to ensure the entire team got equal playing time wherever possible. When it was AA rep ball, you got playing time based on your abilities, although everyone saw at least some time in the field.
The kids were always a mixed bag. Some had experience, and others had never thrown a ball before. Some were there because they wanted to play, and others were there because their parents thought it was “good for them” to be in sports or simply because the parents wanted a couple of hours of babysitting.
There was a great deal of pleasure in seeing a child go from being afraid of the ball to being able to catch it and hit it. They were thrilled if a kid got a hit and was safely on base. At the younger ages, if they managed to work around the bases and get safely home, it was as good as a home run.
As the kids got older, the occasional home run became a reality, and in some age groups, it became a regular thing. It was funny to watch them run the bases after a home run. Some ran the bases as fast as they could, others savored their moment a little more and ran slowly as they showed off the results of their hitting prowess.
Baseball is a strange game. If you knock the ball out of the park, it’s a home run. No one can put the batter out, and the run is awarded. The run isn’t in doubt, but the batter must still do their run around the bases. A home run isn’t a shortcut; they must still run and touch all the bases.
A home run is a good analogy for our Christian faith walk. All believers are, by God’s grace, home run hitters. Once we’ve accepted Jesus, we’re saved and have our gate pass to be with Jesus. Yet we’re not instantly taken into heaven. He still has things for us to do, and we still have to persevere. We still have bases to run.
The Scriptures emphasize both our victory and our need to persevere.
Once we have Jesus, we have overcome the world.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:1-5 NIV
We’ve won, but we still have to finish the game.
Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” Hebrews 10:35-38 NIV
The next time life throws you a curve ball, hang in there.
With Jesus, it’s going to be a home run.
Be blessed
Kevin
