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The baseball season is once again in full swing. One of the things I find interesting about that sport is the amount of impact the manager has on the outcome of the game compared with other professional sports such as hockey. Baseball is in a lot of ways like a game of chess, just played on a much bigger field. The manager decides who to play in certain spots and those decisions often impact the outcome of the game.

 There are a lot of egos to manage, lot’s of ‘big bats’ being paid the really ‘big bucks’ to bash the ball over the fence. But it only takes one run to win a game and sometimes it is more desirable to prevent a single run from scoring, or score a single run, than to hope for the slim chance of success with a ‘big bat basher’. In these situations, the manager doesn’t need a big ego or a big bat, he just needs somebody he can call on committed to and willing to do the small things well. Like someone who practices bunting for hours so that when called on he can get a bunt down and move the lead runner along or like the outfielder last night who threw a ball at 98 MPH from deep in right field to cut down a runner at third base.

Our Lord’s Kingdom work doesn’t need ‘big bash’ ego’s. Our Lord needs and I believe his Kingdom grows on, willing servants who thrive on doing things well for the Lord. I continue to be amazed at the army of volunteers that it takes to keep a ministry like ours functioning well. We need each one of them! In our humanity we tend to focus on ability, the Lord many times simply uses availability.

In Luke chapter twenty-two beginning at verse twenty-four, Jesus establishes a radically different social totem pole. Its very clear that big egos are not highly esteemed, and each of us are challenged to lead by the example patterned for us by the Lord himself who as the great manager knows exactly where and when to insert each of his players into the game. Our role is to practice our skills and be available.

Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.

 

                                                          Pastor Dave