Monday night before the Root Beer Bar Bible study at church (which was awesome by the way), I ventured over to the baseball fields to take in a little tee ball. I thought maybe I could do some scouting for the Tigers and discover the next Miggy. While there I walked up to the third base side fence and watched with some friends an inning or so. I don’t know if there is anything much cuter than a 4-5 year old in a baseball uniform with a glove hanging down to their ankles. Anyway, the funniest thing of all was to watch a player hit the ball off the tee, the ball roll onto the infield, and then, BOOM! All one hundred and fifty kids (preacher’s count) attacking the ball! It was a scrum. I thought, is this a rugby match or tee ball? One kid emerged with the ball, gave what looked like an end zone dance, and then threw the ball to the coach.
Sunday we baptized five people during and after second worship service. Tuesday evening we baptized one more. All six people have different stories and will be on a different part of their journey to be like Jesus. All six people will be attacked by the enemy in the coming days to try and sway them away from the decision they have made. All six people will be left wondering, “what do I do now?” All six people are wondering, “Am I supposed to feel different?” All six people need their church, that’s us, by their side.
In other words, all six people are the ball hit off the tee and you and I are the gang of kids in the infield that need to flock to the six and be the church for them. John 13:35 says in the NLT, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” And Hebrews 10:24 says, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.”
In the parable of the talents in Matthew 25 we read about those who duplicate their talents and are rewarded when Jesus returns. I don’t think it a stretch to say that how we pour into others and disciple one another is a way of using our gifts and talents to further God’s Kingdom.
The player that finally emerged from the pile with the baseball, after digging around in the dirt, and fending off his fellow players, held it up proudly. Which of the six are you going to walk alongside and motivate to love and good works? Which of the six will you pray for? Which of the six will you love in a way that shows the world you belong to Jesus?