The Name on the Jersey
Since the 2024 Major League Baseball season is about to get underway, I thought that I would share a story with you that you might find interesting. As you have probably guessed already, it involves the player in the picture accompanying this post.
The player’s name is Johnnie LeMaster and the picture was taken during a game when he was at bat for the San Francisco Giants. Lemaster was the shortstop for the Giants at that time and is remembered by those who know about baseball as a very good defensive shortstop.
Unfortunately, this picture was taken during a time when he was not doing well. That led to the fans of the Giants becoming less than enchanted with him. Apparently, they were very vocal in their negative assessment of what they perceived to be his lack of contributions to the team.
You will notice that the name on his jersey is not LeMaster. Instead the name is Boo. I’ve heard him tell the story about how this came to be. As I remember what he said, he asked the equipment manager to put “Boo” on the jersey, because that was what he heard repeatedly from the fans.
While that little anecdote from “baseball lore” might be of interest, it also may be of interest how and where I first heard the story. After all, what would a guy who was, at best, an average high school player be doing with a man who spent twelve years in the major leagues?
You may be guessing that I might have been a part of a large crowd who heard him speak at some event that was somehow connected to sports. You may also think that I have never had any personal contact with him.
If that is the case – to use a baseball analogy – you would have swung and missed twice. While I would not at all claim to have a close relationship with Johnnie Lemaster, we do have some things in common and have, indeed, had a few short conversations.
There are two things that Johnnie and I have in common that are much more important than baseball. First, we are both Christians. Second, we both serve as an elder in the respective congregations with which we worship. I serve as an elder with the Central church of Christ in Paducah, Kentucky and brother LeMaster serves in the same capacity for the church of Christ in Paintsville, Kentucky.
Instead of hearing him at some event connected with sports, we have both attended Polishing the Pulpit for a number of years. For those who have never been to or do not know about Polishing the Pulpit, it is difficult to describe exactly what it is. Every year, Polishing the Pulpit gives thousands of Christians the opportunity to grow closer to God and to one another. Polishing the Pulpit is part conference, part lectureship, part workshop, and part a lot of other things. In short, it is a very enriching and rewarding spiritual experience.
During Polishing the Pulpit a few years ago, Johnnie and I learned that we have a mutual friend who is a preacher of the gospel. In the intervening years, we have – here goes baseball lingo again – “touched base” several times at PtP.
Why (you could be wondering) did I write all of this? What does any of that, including the name on a jersey, have to do with anything that might be beneficial to me in my life?
As I heard Johnnie tell that story about the jersey and when I saw the picture again recently, it caused me to do some thinking about how we are perceived by other people. After all, that was the reason for the name on the jersey in the picture.
I’m thinking that there are at least a couple of things worth considering. First, I wonder how many of us let ourselves be defined by what other people think of us. That doesn’t really seem to be a healthy way to live our lives. In brother LeMaster’s case, it was an attempt at humor and/or an attempt to make the best of a bad situation. Far too often, we can cause ourselves serious problems by letting what others think of us change how we live, think, etc.
Second, even though I recognize the dangers, I do sometimes wonder what my “jersey” would say if, in fact, other people were able to define me. Would their assessment be positive or negative? Would it have any impact on how I felt about and/or treated them?
I may not wear an actual jersey that defines me, but I wear a divinely given name. It is my prayer that people see that as the name that defines me. More importantly, I pray that the One whose name I wear considers that I am worthy to wear the name…
Christian
NOTE: As an “added bonus” to this post, you can watch Johnnie tell the story about the jersey and make some applications here –
https://www.facebook.com/JohnnieShortstop/videos/473876187141561/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v
AUTHOR: Jim Faughn
