Baseball Practice

My almost five year old participated in his entire baseball practice on Saturday. I was pleasantly surprised, because it has definitely been "hit or miss" previously. However, when they were practicing without hitting the ball, he instinctively stopped when they told him to run the bases. They had him swing with an imaginary bat at an imaginary ball and then told him to run to first base.

His response, "Why?"

I can understand what he was thinking. If I didn't actually hit the ball, why should I run to first base?

Sometimes kids can ask some pretty perceptive questions.

If we truly think about our lives, do we really deserve to be where we're at? If we haven't hit it out of the ballpark at our jobs, do we deserve this big house or nice car? If we haven't worked out our own personal failings, do we deserve this responsibility of bringing up these kids and their entire future resting in our hands?

Today's society seems to be telling us that we do deserve it, not matter what, but on what basis? The Christian worldview puts it into perspective a little differently. You absolutely do not deserve it. You are absolutely a sinner. a failure, a roadblock for someone else. Yet, it was given freely. Forgiveness, grace, a man's life, God's Son. All given and all forgiven so you could have a different perspective. A perspective that even though you didn't deserve and continue to be unable to live up to what you've received, you will still see a hope and future.

So, instead of trying to convince yourself that you do deserve what you've been given, take some time today to think about what you really deserved and give thanks for what you received instead. Give thanks that you've been given so much more than you deserved. Rather than "treating" yourself by spending money on something temporary, try to thank God by spending some time on something eternal.