WHY BASEBALL SHOULDN’T BE FIRST

I like athletes.

I was one for a long time. I played 3 sports in high school (football, soccer, and baseball), I played 2 sports in college, soccer and baseball), and I played 1 sport professionally (baseball). At times I still consider myself an athlete, I just don’t compete as fast and as hard as I used to.

The reason I like athletes is because they do hard things. In fact they actually learn to love doing hard things.

So why do they do it? Why do they love it?

Well I think it’s because they know that the hard thing is the right thing, and the good thing… and the best thing!

Doing the hard thing usually leads to the most fruitful results.

Jesus said, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13-14).

Just like how doing hard things in sports leads to victory, the Bible says that “the hard way leads to life!”. Following Jesus can be hard, it takes discipline and the ability to say no to what is easy and yes to what is hard.

In John 10, Jesus says, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.”

Athlete! You were created to do hard things. My challenge to you is to start your walk with Jesus, develop a daily discipline to move with Him, chose the narrow path and you will experience life and life in abundance!

Ben Orr, Ministry Director
Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Southern California
borr@fca.org