Spiritual Lesson Learned at a Baseball Playoff Game #1

In the midst of Game 4 of the National League Championship Series between the Cardinals and the Giants, the Spirit of God revealed to me a valuable truth regarding encouragement. As an army of Cardinal fans numbering over 46,000 equipped with white, "rally" towels, each of us in attendance that believed we inspired the home team on to victory that evening. At times we had smothered our beloved Cards with endless "waving" of the towels, shouts of encouragement, and timely chants.

As the game entered the later innings, I began to notice when, we, the fans were actually cheering and encouraging our Redbirds.  It had been at the beginning of the game, when a home team player had delivered a "key" base hit, when the home team had scored a run, when a "big" out had been recorded, or when a home team player had made a great play in the field. We encouraged our players on when the Giants had narrowed the score to 2-1 in the second inning. We would cheer enthusiastically at the end of the game as well.

But, where was our encouragement when a Cardinal batter was facing an 0-1 count? Or an 0-2 count in the batter's box? I do not remember too much encouragement when a Cardinal pitcher or fielder allowed a run to score. Or when one of "our" pitchers fell behind in the count?

This is obviously typical of most, if not all, sports fans. One really cannot judge this degree of fan behavior, right? Right! That is just the way we sports fans are.

However, the question that came to the forefront of my thinking at that moment was, "Are we not pretty much the same way in the church?"  I mean, we encourage a new brother or sister when he or she begins his or her journey. Don't we encourage one another because of successes or through struggles and even failures. And we are definately there when one's journey is nearing the end or completed.

But, but what about the day in and day out encouragement that each of us so desperately need? Yes, we receive encouragement from one another (at best) two or three times a week. We tend to believe that the encouragement received Sunday morning and/or night should last until Wednesday evening; and that encouragement received should last until next Sunday morning, right? Right! We have been trained, groomed, and taught to accept the fact that should be enough for anyone of us...but, what if it isn't?

Hebrews 3:13 reads, "But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is called 'Today,' lest anyone be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin". God sees His children's need for encouragement to be much greater than a twice or three times a week need. And more than simply "being there" during the highs and lows of another's life. He(God) sees encouragement as a "daily" need  to be fulfilled.

We are called to be more than just baseball fans cheering our team on at certain times during a game. We have been called to be fellow heirs, obligated to encourage one another on day by day.

So, what does that look like? We will explore in my next post!