A Baseball & Spiritual Analogy

~By Sharon Czerwien

My tween son just finished his 1^st-ever baseball season. He played Fall Ball in our local Little League® and loved it.

I grew up in a baseball-loving family, and my brother was a literal (Boys' Baseball, Inc.) All Star player for several years when we lived near Dallas, Texas. As a result, I felt fairly comfortable with my baseball “knowledge” when my son started baseball.

Early in my son’s season, though, I realized there was much more that I could learn!

During Game 2 of my son’s season, I had the genuine privilege of being a “Parent Umpire”. Since the umpire behind home plate was a junior umpire, the home team needed to provide an adult to stay on 3^rd base as an acting umpire. My main task was to make sure coaches and parents did not get out of line and stayed respectful towards the junior umpire.

At first, I was nervous to be in my role near 3^rd base (after all, balls could fly right to me, or at worst, I may have to figure out if someone was “out” or “safe” on base). Very quickly, though, I realized I had the “best seat” in the house!

I was close to all the action and was able to hear all the good coaching first-hand. I really appreciated it when my son’s Coach (Andrew C.) was the 3^rd base coach. I NEVER knew all that went into baserunning. Everything I heard made me think: blog, blog, blog, yes, this information needs to go in my blog!!! 

The Information

Coach Andrew faithfully made sure that every runner on 2^nd base knew to pay attention to him as the 3rd base coach. He told each runner to watch HIM. He often said, “Keep your eyes on me!”

Then, after each runner successfully made it to 3^rd base, the runner’s responsibility was to continually pay attention to Coach Andrew and the coach’s wisdom for how to proceed.

I was so excited after the game to tell my husband all that I learned while hanging out on the field near 3^rd base! Yes, I always knew that a base coach was immensely important, but I learned that afternoon that the base coach was THAT IMPORTANT and should be looked at with the utmost importance. The base runner needed to focus on and watch the base coach over anybody else!!

The Bible Analogy

“Keep your eyes on me!” That rings a bell…

“…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1b-2).

According to the Strong’s Concordance on my Olive Tree Bible App, the word for “looking” in this Bible verse has the idea of attentively looking at and considering something. It carries the implication to: “turn the eyes from other things and fix them on something.” [1]

In our life’s race, which has been set before us, this Bible verse says we need to be attentively considering and turning our eyes to Jesus. We must fix our eyes on Jesus and HIS great plan for our life (yes, even the difficult BUMPS that arise). This is how we can endure whatever comes our way—focusing on Jesus and His good plan.

Just like those base runners had to look to their base coach in the uncertainty of the baseball plays, we must look to Jesus.

Just like those base runners had to trust their base coach, we must trust Jesus in whatever takes place in our lives.

If Jesus loved us enough to die for our sins, then He is trustworthy to help us through our otherwise bumpy paths in life.

~Let’s Play Ball and Look Up,

Sharon

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[1] Olive Tree Bible App, NKJV Holy Bible with Strong’s Numbers, Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1982.