3 Lessons from the MLB All Star Game

Last night, I watched, in amazement, the Major League All Star Game.  I learned some valuable lessons by watching Mariano Rivera enter into his office, the pitcher’s mound, in the 8th inning.  In fact, I rewound it and watched it a second time with my son.  Mariano Rivera is retiring from the game after 19 years in the major leagues.  I remember when he started playing.  He came into the New York Yankees organization as a set up man for their then closer, John Wetteland.  Now, when he enters a game, the song “Enter Sandman” blares from the stadium speakers as his job is to put the other team’s batters to sleep by getting them out and ending the game.  He has over 600 saves credited to his account in the major leagues.  Awesome!

Now I am not a New York Yankees fan by any means or stretch of the imagination.  I am a Boston Red Sox fan and of course, Texas Rangers fan.  But what I witnessed last night was a champion entering his last Major League All Star Game ever.  He will be a Hall of Fame inductee without question.  However, what I was able to teach my son last night through the game of baseball was even greater than his last game.  You see, Mariano Rivera is one of the most respected players in the major leagues.  In fact, the person that he is caused his peers to do and exemplify some amazing character traits that each of them have at a time when the world wants each of them to scream, “Hey, look at me!”  They screamed, “Hey!  Look at Him!”

You see, both the American League team and the National League team stayed in the dugout and it was just Mariano Rivera and the catcher out there to warm up.  Not even the position players took the field.  Those players taught a me some valuable lessons and gave me opportunity to teach my son.

3 Lessons that I Learned from the All Star Game.

1. Respect those Who have gone before you.
2. Honor those who deserve honor.
3. Humility is best worn when Pride is desired.

Those players paid tribute to a man who has gone before them and set a benchmark in the game.  They honored him by staying in the dugout to give him the big stage.  And in a day and age where humility is left for those who are usually never seen, they set aside their pride and wore the uniform of humility to show honor and respect.

Who has gone before you that is worthy of honor and respect?

What is stopping you from showing them?

How can you set aside your pride and wear the uniform of humility to show that person or persons respect and honor?

It is only fitting that I close this writing, in honor of Mariano Rivera by saying,

GO SOX!

He would appreciate it!

Humility > Pride

I am not a fan of the term “swagger”.  To me, it implies an attitude of pride.  Pride is never a good thing.  Oh, don’t get me wrong, growing up, when I played sports competitively, I would walk in with my team like we owned the whole world.  We went in with the mindset of total world domination.  Our goal:  Destroy all who are in our path!  Take no prisoners!  I remember one time while playing a basketball tournament, we were physically outmatched on stature alone.  We were shorter as a whole team than our opponent, we were playing on their court, in their neighborhood, in their tournament.  It was a back and forth game and it was going to come down to the wire.  We were down by 2 points and coming back on to the court after a timeout.  I remember it like it was yesterday.  The guy guarding this 6’2 writer whose only organized basketball experience is church league basketball, was 6’4 and fairly athletic.  He asked me when I came back to the free throw line to set up our play, “Whatchu boys got planned for winning this game?”  With all the “swagger” and cockiness I could muster, I replied without hesitation, “I am going to come off a pick at the top of the key, get the pass and drain a 3 right in your face for the win.”

He started laughing and told one of his teammates what I said.  Sure enough, I was telling him the truth, knowing he wouldn’t believe it.  I came across the pick, got the pass at the top of the key and, wait for it…wait for it…drained the 3 right in his face over his outstretched hand trying to block my shot.  We win at the buzzer by 1 point and all I could do was hold up both my hands and stare at my dejected defender as he hung his head and the realization that they had lost to an opponent that was physically inferior.  Just like we drew it up!  That is my March Madness moment of glory and I am sticking to it!

I was so full of pride!  Our team had the contrived “swagger”.  However, we fell…and fell hard in the next game.    I really didn’t know how we lost, but boy, did we ever lose.  There is something to humility.  Pride can’t win games, swagger can only take you so far.  Proverbs 11:2-3 says it this way,

Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.  Honesty guides good people, dishonesty destroys treacherous people.

Pride is believing and projecting a false image that is greater than reality.  When the prideful person’s claims are found to be false, those very claims become a disgrace and embarrassment to that individual.  When a person is humble, on the other hand, others find out about their talents and abilities through their integrity.  Whether it is on the court or on the job, they take no credit for what they have been given.  It comes from God. THAT is true wisdom.  Honesty is a natural outflow of a person whose heart is right before God.  Those who practices include things that go against God will ultimately be destroyed by their own illusions and practices.  That is an outflow of who they are.

What, then, can we learn?  Walking in humility not just before God, but before your fellow man is a must.  Let God reveal the gifts He has given to you while you work in front of other people.  Remain truthful at all times regardless of the situation and the destruction of your words will always elude you.  Your honesty will stand the tests that will come.  Truth will always be revealed and will always win.  Let God be the One with Swagger! Don’t take His swagger…

 

In what areas of your life are you projecting pride in yourself that really belongs to God?

What are some ways that you can remain humble?