In a world where competition is everything...

The Winning Game

On a hot, sunny afternoon, a small boy stepped up to bat.The crowd watched like hawks for his move, waiting for thesought-after home run that most likely wasn't to be. After all, these kids were five and six years old, much toolittle to stroke a ball past the pitcher, if at all. The little guy's determination showed in his stance: grittedteeth, slightly bulging eyes, hat-clad head bobbing slightly,feet apart, hands with a death grip on the bat. In front of him was a small softball, sitting perched like aparrot on a lone tee, awaiting the six swings that the batterwas allowed.
Strike one.
"Come on, you can do it!" came a solitary voice out of thebleachers.
Strike two.
"Go for it, Son!" the proud father yelled encouragingly.
Strike three.
"Go, go, go..." the crowd joined in.
Strike four.
"You can do it!" just the father and a couple of viewers crooned, others losing interest and turning to bleacherconversations."YOU CAN DO IT!"
And suddenly bat hit ball, amazing the crowd and the little boy, who stood rock still, watching it travel slowly past the pitcher on its way to second base.
"Run!"The stands rumbled with stomping feet. "Run, run!"The little boy's head jerked ever so slightly and he took offtoward third base.
"No," the crowd yelled. "The other way."With a slight cast of his head toward the bleachers, the boyturned back toward home. "NO!"
My son, the umpire, waved him toward first base. The kids on both teams pointed the way. The crowd continued to cheer him on. Confused, he ran back to third. Then following the third baseman's frantic directions, hefinally ran toward first base but stopped triumphantly on the pitcher's mound.
The pitcher moved back, not sure what to do next. The crowd stood, shaking the bleachers with the momentum. All arms waved toward first base. And with no thought for his position, the first baseman dropped his ball and ran toward thepitcher.
"Come on," he yelled, grabbing the hand of the errant batter,and tugged him toward first base while the crowd screamed itsapproval. The ball lay forgotten as a triumphant twosome hugged each other on the piece of square plastic that marked the spot where lives are forever shaped.
No one will remember the score of that summer afternoon game.
Two little boys, running hand in hand, toward a goal that only one should have reached. Both came out winners. In fact, there wasn't a loser in the stands or on the field that summer day, and that's a lesson none of us should ever forget. Winning is more than being number one. Winning is helping another when the chips are down. It's remembering to love one another. ~Author Unknown~

Thought to consider: In our daily lives do we go for the out and the win for ourselves or do we go for the victory and a win for all involved? In my years of ministry I've watched competition between friends, co-workers, spouses, and family members destroy the possibility of victory all because one feels that they have to win. What happens after one win by the other person is that the "loser" then is less willing to trust and to be open to seeking victory for both. The "winner" doesn't see any struggle because their point was proven, their trip was taken, their idea was chosen, and so they believe they are open to total victory though in reality they are not. What would it be like if we all shared "first base" with someone? To realize that life is far more important than a ball game or a decision or a move that in reality in more times than not will be forgotten within a week or a month or a year.

What decisions have we made just in the past week that provided us with a win but cost us the total victory that those young boys shared on the ball field. You'll notice that it wasn't even the father of the hitter that told the story but rather an on-looker who was forever changed by the impact of such actions. The reality is that our only victory comes through Christ and that the only way to share that victory is to live the love and grace of Christ with the people whom we encounter each day. For me, I've experienced my greatest rewards in those moments when God has provided me with a chance to share the victory with others. We may not think it a big thing at the time that we offer it but for those watching, it could change their lives... PLAY BALL!!!