Relief Is On the Way

I have never been a big baseball fan. But I am intrigued about the whole matter of the relief pitcher. I like it. It excites me. It turns me on.

Think about it: You are a little known entity of the team. You may actually play less than a punter for the Indianapolis Colts. But you relieve the star of the team. He can pitch 8 incredible innings. But more times than not you will be called to the mound to finish up what he has begun. How cool is that?

Now what is really cool is this is your job! People like you for it. They respect you for it. They cheer you for it. They pay you for it. No one ever says "You are not as good as the starter!" No one ever implies that you are less than he is though you may only throw 9 or 10 pitches to his 60 or 70. Your job is to get the job done. Pretty cool.

Your team and your fans see you as a very vital and important member: You relieve. You come in off the bench. A huddle of coaches, the catcher, the star you are relieving, and a host of infielders meet you on the mound. There is almost ritual and pageantry to the passing of the ball: The coach takes the ball from the starter and drops it in your glove. He jogs from the field to an ovation. Then you finish the game. I think that is pretty cool.

Know what else is pretty cool? No one really dogs the starting pitcher for not being able to finish what he has begun. There is a foregone understanding that baseball is a teamsport and the teammates look to each other to do what one person is not able to do. No one bats a 1,000. Not everyone hits a homerun. Few pitchers ever finish a game. No infielder goes a season without an error. People back each other up in baseball.

What would that look like in our everyday lives? What would it look like if we were daily backing each other up? What would it look like if we were all coming in relief of the person who goes before us. Can you see yourself not thinking your reliever is less than you are --and not thinking your starter is unable to get the job done?

You are part of a magical, miraculous team -- a husband and a wife; a mother and a father; parents and children; a family; friends together; a church congregation; two associate pastors; teachers on the same staff; a medical team; a team of electricians wiring a house. The Bible says, "God is making everything new." You are new! It also says, "Two are better than one." Your best work together is always better than anyone's work alone.

Here is a mountain man challenge: Relieve someone today. Pick up the ball. Cheer the person before you. Cheer the person after you. Say something good. Say something deep. say something healthy. Try not to be trite or superficial; try to be very significant. But honestly? Better to be tritue and superficial than to join the ranks of people who are sincerely cold, aloof, distant and critical...don't you think?

You are a superstar and I love partnering with you. I love the truth that when we put our coffee down you are out there putting others at ease and in a very good place. You shine light where there is none. You make a difference. You help someone to the top of a mountain.

I love you. Time to rope up and hit the trail! Jeff