I have had the privilege of doing a lot of different types
of ministry in 31 years. One of my
favorites was that I was able to serve for a couple of years as a chaplain for
a baseball team. This team was a part of
a wooden bat league for college players.
The league consisted of college scholarship players who
came to play in this league when their season ended for their college
team.
My role was to do a chapel service once a week and to
minister to the team, coaches, and workers of the team. I had the opportunity to meet and minister to
more people who did not attend church anywhere in those years than any other
ministry I have worked. I was able to
get to know them, build a relationship with them. It was such a blessing.
One day I was talking with a starting pitcher who had a
rough outing the night before in a game.
I asked him, “How do you deal with it when you have a tough time and
then have to turn around pitch again?”
He said, “Chaplain, to be a pitcher you have to have a short
memory.”
I really liked that comment then. I really have appreciated it more as the
years go by. I never would have
imagined this 20 year old to share something so wise.
I can’t help but think how helpful that comment would be in
my life if I simply applied it to various places in my life.
Like
the following from the past:
Past failures
Past hurts
Past disappointments
Past successes
Maybe
it would be helpful to forget quickly:
Hurtful words by people quickly
Hurtful actions by those close to us
This young pitcher had learned something at 20 years old
that many struggle their entire life and do not learn.
What would it look like if I did not dwell on those things
and replaced them with positive ways of thinking?
“ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if
there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things”
(Phil. 4:8, ESV).
