subject: Chinese baseball and the power of the human spirit [print this page] Chinese baseball and the power of the human spirit
What follows is one of the most remarkable stories about the power of the human spirit. After Watergate, President Nixon's right-hand man Charles Colson was sent to prison. It was there that he would uncover a life changing faith, in large part because of the grace he received from various people.
Years later during an interview for PBS a reporter asked him, "How can you be so sure about your faith?"
In response Colson shared about being behind bars when something unbelievable happened. "I'll never forget that day because one of the men-Al Quie-called to say, Chuck, because of your family problems, I'm going to ask the President if you can go home, while I serve the rest of your prison term.'"
That act of unselfishness shook Colson to his core and was transformative in his own life as he realized how powerful the love of God really is. In response the reporter broke down in tears and stopped the taping while she regained her composure. It is not often such acts of kindness are shared.
Along with continued economic problems, political unrest, the Gulf oil-spill and day to day uncertainty, perhaps there has never been a better time that each of us consider how our lives can impact the world around us. As has been rightly said, our life is either an example or a warning.
This weekend as I watched the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field I was reminded of the story from years ago when a missionary attempted to first introduce baseball in China.
Unfortunately he died before completing a translation of the rule book. When new missionaries arrived they found the people of this particular town playing baseball with the correct number of players, proper uniforms and equipment, with one minor change.
Having completed the rule book on their own the players had implemented a new regulation that allowed the first baseman to pick up and run with first base to keep the batter from tagging it!
Today a lot of people are playing Chinese Baseball, not sure how the rules got changed and confused about how life is meant to work. Seeing not enough positive examples many are getting lost in the chaos.
Perhaps the words of the prophet can help us each get a little more back on track the next time we find that someone has moved the base, "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8).
