“Stay In The Game”

I’m often struck by the comments we can throw out during a game on TV…”boy that guy is really lousy… he should never be in the Big Leagues…. how did he ever make it to this team. You know, I think I could probably play better than he does….. bla,bla,bla. 

Down deep we realize that none of that is true. To play at the top level of any sport, you have to be a great player. The pyramid gets very steep as you approach the top… only the very best even get a “tryout”. If you’ve ever been near a pitcher throwing 80 mph (much less 90 or 100), you realize the speed of the ball.. wow, I could never even see that pitch, much less hit it. 

Pick your sport and it’s the same…football, baseball, basketball, tennis, golf; pick other endeavors in life …an astronaut, mountain climber, doctor or lawyer or plumber…. how about father, mother, etc. Those at the top of their game are awesome to watch, but all those who compete are also awesome to behold.

As Teddy Roosevelt said, the key is to “be in the game”. Few of us will win the high awards, but all of us can be in the game…we can all participate…give it our best. I once heard success defines as not what you achieve, but what you achieve compared to what you “could” achieve…. “how did I live up to the gifts and potentials I had been given by God.”

So, let’s give it our best shot and not quit when it’s hard, and we fall on our face. Christ will help us. When we see the Lord one day, our face may be marred, our hands even bloodied, and perhaps there will be no awards on our chest, but may we be able to say to the Lord, I gave it a good try by your holy grace and I didn’t quit when it got very hard. So Lord, I now entrust my eternity to your loving care. And hopefully we will hear those great words , “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” (Mt. 25:23) And that is very good news.