Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game

From The Pastor’s Pen – By Brian Horrobin

Last summer my youngest son, too old for house league soccer and not up to speed to play travel, decided to try his hand at baseball.

I tried to warn him prior to the season that his chances of making the team as a complete novice were not good, but he decided to try anyway.

As it turned out, not many boys tried out so Michael made the roster.

It was a real learning experience, let me tell you, with his team going winless for the season.

His coaches, however, were so encouraging and helpful and made the experience so worthwhile.

Michael was a bit apprehensive at the start of the season, as he had never played before, but he just faced his fears and went for it.

On the back of Michael’s baseball card there is a quote from the legendary Babe Ruth, who said, “Never allow the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.”

That is good advice from the one-time home run leader who struck out a TON of times between all those long balls.

I am sure there must have been games when he failed to hit a homer but struck out a few times that he wondered if he should not try so hard.

Fear of striking out, though, would have kept him from being the home run champion that he eventually became.

I am not sure where the Babe got all his motivation but the apostle Paul made it clear where he got his.

“I can do all things through Christ Who gives me strength”, he said in Philippians 4:13.

I took another look at Michael’s picture on his card recently and his casual smile and relaxed pose seems to say, “Hey, pitcher, throw me your best stuff. I’m ready for it!”

That’s a good way to approach life, too, if the Lord is in control.

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