A Baseball Quiz, and a Life Quiz
Here’s a two-question quiz for the baseball fans among us.
1. Name a Major League Baseball player who (among other positive accomplishments)…
- had more hits during the 1970’s and 1980’s than any other player except for Pete Rose.
(There are some very well-known players, including some members of the Hall of Fame below him on that list.)
- had more hits during his career than Ted Williams.
(Again, there are many easily recognizable names below this player besides Ted Williams.)
- never struck out three times in a game in his entire career.
(That’s even better than my childhood “hero.” Stan Musial struck out only three times once during his entire career. That’s a lot better than one player for the New York Yankees who, last year, struck out five times in a game – and he managed to do that twice!)
2. Name a Major League Baseball player who let what looked to be a routine ground ball roll between his legs during a crucial World Series game that allowed the opposing team to keep his team from winning that game and the World Series – a feat that his team had not accomplished in eighty-six years.
The answer to both questions is Bill Buckner. Mr. Buckner passed away recently at the age of sixty-nine.
After his death, I read some interesting material about Mr. Buckner’s life and his career. While most of what I read was complimentary and mentioned many of his achievements, it seemed to be almost impossible to not mention that fateful error. I don’t think that I would be off the mark too far (if any at all) to suggest that most baseball fans probably remember Bill Buckner for that one error than they do for all of his very significant positive accomplishments.
So – what does this have to do with the non-baseball fans among us? In case you are a part of that group and feel left out…
Here’s a quiz for all of us (baseball fans and non-baseball fans alike).
1. When you think of your spouse, do you think about all of the good qualities possessed and demonstrated by him/her or do you think of those things that might bug you from time to time and/or some mistakes that have been made?
2. Do you negatively compare your spouse and/or other family members with the members of other families or are you grateful for the good qualities that are found in the members of your family?
3. What about your house and your neighborhood? Do you notice every flaw in the house and all of the things that might make your neighborhood unattractive, or are you thankful that you do not have to live in mud huts and shanties like millions of people in the world?
4. What about that congregation of God’s people with whom you worship? Do you notice (and criticize) every mistake made by the preacher, song leader, teacher, elders, etc. or are you thankful to have people who love you, who want to encourage and help you, and who share the same interests and goals that you do? Are you grateful that they are not as critical of you as you are of them?
5. What about the person you see when you look into a mirror? Do you see a person made in the image of God or do you see a person who does not conform to the current image of what is beautiful, handsome, attractive, etc.?
Hopefully, by now you get the point. If not, maybe I can illustrate it this way. How would you describe the image below? Would you say that is a picture of a piece of paper that is almost completely white or would you say that it is a picture of a piece of paper with a black dot?
Thankfully, those of us who are Christians serve the God who can see the good in us even when others may not see that good or may refuse to acknowledge that good. For a long time, I’ve been intrigued by the last words in the book of Nehemiah (and the last recorded words of this good man):
Remember me, O my God, for good (Nehemiah 13:31).
To Receive Every Article from A Legacy of Faith through Email for Free, Click Here
AUTHOR: Jim Faughn
