I was in the 4th grade and I saw him in person for the first time. My grandparents had taken me and my cousin
to Candlestick Park to watch the San Francisco Giants play. I had only seen major league baseball games on
black and white TV and I was struck by all the colors of the field, the fans and the players in their uniforms.
Excitedly my cousin and I watched as the game began. It turned out to be pretty uneventful. Hardly any hits
and at the end of nine innings it was still 0 to 0. The Chicago Cubs were up first in the 10th and nothing
happened. And then the Giants were up at bat and Willie Mays stepped up to the plate. The pitcher threw the
first ball and Mays took a mighty swing and the ball went over the right-center wall for a home run. I got to see
my hero hit a home run. Willie Mays died this week after a long life. He played ball in a time in our society
that had so many challenges and upheavals. And through all of that, to us he was a man who loved playing the
game and made us feel like he loved his fans. I don’t know what kind of a guy Willie Mays was privately, but
he was a tough player and the first African-American Captain of a Major League baseball team. And he left us
with the memory of a guy who would play baseball with kids in the street after a major league game. He died
with generations of us still loving him from afar. I don’t know anything about his faith or personal life, but I
would love to have that kind of reputation he took to the end of his life. No…not the athletic greatness! But a
guy who seemed to show kindness and to be patient with so many difficult people. The Apostle Paul said that
those were some of the things that the followers of Jesus ought to demonstrate as well…to be able to live and
die with a reputation of not being quarrelsome, to be patient with difficult people, especially in difficult times
and most of all to be willing to show kindness to everyone. For Willie Mays, he lived well with people and
pointed them back to America’s game…baseball. And in the same way, may we live well with people and
point them back to the Jesus of the Bible who died for us and rose again, that we might live with him forever.
Here’s our Bible verse for today…
2 Timothy 2:23-24 NLT Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. (24) A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.
Remember I’m praying for you!
PJ
Here’s our Bible verse for today…
2 Timothy 2:23-24 NLT Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. (24) A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.
Remember I’m praying for you!
PJ