The Game

Last night I had a delightful date with my bride of forty years. A couple who are friends and neighbors acted as our willing chaperones and we had an early dinner at a local Chinese eatery. Bet you didn’t know General Tso made tofu! The weather was “just right” for an evening with our local AAA farm club baseball team. Some other friends graciously provided tickets and what entertainment we had. We joined over 9,675 other folks in a stadium designed to seat 8096 people for nonstop audio-visual treats. Baseball often took a second place to all the other activities and antics.
I have attended very few professional baseball games. The most recent were with some special cousins (avid Colorado Rockies fans) and then later with my son, daughter-in-law, and my grandson at Coor’s Field in Denver. I’ll never forget those experiences and last night was similar minus those magnificent Rocky Mountains silhouetting the stadium.
The evening’s entertainment was nonstop from the time we entered the stadium. There were dance contests, special “dressing” races, tee shirt tosses into the stands from giant three person slingshots, and a host of other activities. Many of the folks were actually spread out on blankets in a grassy area rimming the stadium and it looked especially enticing. The stadium was immaculate (just two years old) and was a far cry from the dank ancient stadiums of the past century with faint smells of stale beer and even urine. There was almost a Disney-like wholesome atmosphere to this venue and facility that is a real credit to the planners and designers.
Even with all the nonstop activities, my mind wanders. The program and player bios are extensive. Some quick math comes up with a rough average player’s age of early thirties. Then there are the host of traveling support folks to factor in, all living on the same buses and in the endless motels. Most of them probably have a wife and kids back home in Columbus tonight who miss them and are anxious for the end of another road trip. I think of the age old scenario, “If I just do this a bit longer, I’ll be with the Philadelphia Phillies team and on easy street and it will be worth it,” (or Cleveland Indians for this visiting team). Ironically enough, three of the players had actually played for the opposing team the night before and been traded as part of a six person trade “overnight.” Imagine going home and telling your family that they’ll be in a new state, neighborhood, and school district because the team had to make way for the rehabbing efforts for a “washed up” big league pitcher. It was more than just losing 5-4 in extra innings for those folks. But to quote the manager: “That will be weird, but again, you have to go about your business, take your at bats and see what happens. They’re professionals and you just have to go about your business.”
To many of us this “game” may seem vaguely reminiscent of downsizing, seniority bumping, and even foreclosure, family crisis, organizational trauma, and other painful life events that plague us and our relationships. All can be rationalized and the pain even suppressed or somewhat hidden for “a better future, the good of the team” or a myriad of other hopes and promises. As our natural fortunes wane and we learn our limitations and the fallibility of our loyalties to “teams,” it’s comforting to recall some simple truths. There is One who is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. His best is there for you always. There is nothing to be proven or earned. This isn’t “a game” to Him and you aren’t a player subject to the uncertainties of re-evaluation of your talents or abilities to be used and possibly discarded. You have been, are, and always will be a “star” in His eyes.