I was a pretty good Little League player back in the days of Mantle and
Maris. We were part of what was called Midget League, a step below Little
League, due to social and talent pressures. My Dad was our coach, we were the
Giants, and did pretty good, the only team we couldn’t beat was the Senators,
they were stacked as the president of the League coached them. But what we
lacked in raw talent, we made up for in fun, and after surviving two years as
one of the younger ones, in my last year eligible I broke out and was a star, at
least in my own mind. Truth was I was pretty good, and was good enough to be
voted to the All Star team, who them would play the All Stars from Little
League. A chance to play against the best, on a real field with fences, stands,
and to see how good we really were, or weren’t. But after attending two All
Star practices, my Dad broke the bad news to me, I couldn’t go this year. It
had nothing to do with my abilities, but the man who was coaching our All Stars
had put his son on the team on the field, he was playing “homer,” letting all
his son play no matter how good he was or wasn’t and he stunk. Other coaches
complained after the first practice how his son did everything, while guys who
were good just sat. So the League came down hard, no sons of coaches could
play. So I was booted, and my shot at being an All Star was stolen. With the
irony of one father who complained the most about his son not being chosen over
me, when he was chosen to take my place, suddenly had plans for that weekend,
and was a no show. All us kids wanted to do was to play ball, and then the
parents got involved. I was to learn along the way that this wasn’t just in
sports, but in school, jobs, careers,and sadly in serving in church. No matter
what excuse you make, it was wrong then, it is wrong now, and will always be
wrong. And they tell us it’s just a game....
I have been part of churches over the years where children of pastors rose
up through the ranks, based on heritage rather than ability or God’s choosing.
At first I got mad and bitter, then I found myself feeling sorry for them, as
they knew when we met one on one why they got the job, and really wanted to do
something else. The pressure that was put on them did more harm than good, and
I think often of my Little League experience. Keep the parents out of it, let
us prove ourselves despite our heritage, and let us choose like they did. Let
us build our own relationship with God without their interference, thinly
disguised as help. Maybe a lesson from Leviticus is in order for them, and for
all parents. Church type or not.
God set Aaron’s family aside to be priests, born into the family, you
automatically qualified, and your fate was chosen. No other family was chosen
for such a responsibility. But they could only serve if they met certain
requirements, birthright had its privileges, but there is a difference between
being a priest and serving as a priest. Membership is by birth, service by
qualification. Which works within the church, the body of believers, not just
the corporate church we attend on Sundays. I have had to kindly tell some not
to return when they feel they are gifted in our ministry. Or if because of a
good resume, feel they should be allowed to run the show. God demanded that
these priests be holy, and today holy doesn’t mean wholly as God intended it.
Wholly means fully forgiven, truly repentant, and being spirit led. The whole
of Jesus Christ in your life, not just a religious experience or a diploma from
a seminary. How can you teach someone to hit a fastball if you cannot hit it
yourself, or never have? Yet we allow such men and women to run our ministries
who have never had the full experience of salvation, of repentance, or of the
spirit. First you must be set free! And that takes Jesus, all of him, all the
time. When walking down the hall after my open heart surgery, the nurse kept
prodding me to go faster. I was doing all I could, and then finally turned to
her. “What was the date of your open heart surgery? I know mine, and I am
trying...” And she got the point, gave me a regimen and I surpassed it. She was
going based on training and on how far I should be on a certain day after
surgery, later the head nurse told me the couldn’t give me a regimen, “we were
just trying to keep you alive.”
So the ministry God has given me has me fully prepared to
minister, but not without him. We may share certain histories, but we don’t all
share Jesus. Without the spirit to guide, we fall short. So when I deal with
those with bad health, I can relate truthfully. Same with losing my job, being
broke, being rejected. I had a son in jail. So I know, and so they listen,
because my words carry some weight. Not so much because I too have been there,
but because Jesus was there with me. It is real. Some teach from a book, I
teach from experience. Often Jesus in real life is much different than the one
taught in church from just an education. We need to experience Jesus. We all
qualify by being a sinner, but yet we each have a different relationship with
him. Little League was only a game, life isn’t. Only in Christ will you find
the freedom I speak of, and only in Jesus will you have all you need to
succeed. He has given us his spirit, how different all things become when we
are led by his spirit as opposed to our own desires. Or an overbearing parent,
teacher, or pastor....
You don’t have to know it all, just what you need for that
situation. Which will only be found in the spirit. Who comforts, instructs,
teaches, and heals. Some act holy, some are wholly prepared in Christ. What a
difference he makes. And you will find one situation at a time, you truly can
do all things in Christ who gives you the strength. If only Little League
coaches knew that, but what a lesson I learned by not being able to play. You
see , some father and son relationships are worth emulating, some aren’t. Only
God lets us choose. Now you know the difference. If it works in baseball,
imagine how it can work in soccer. Play ball!
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com