Curveballs

The World Series is underway. Congratulations goes to both teams for making it to the top of their profession. I played baseball from little league in Ohio straight through high school. I remember at Triton Regional High School in Byfield, Massachusetts, the weather always had something to say about our “spring training.” In New England, in April, it is frequently still very cold, and our fields were often soaking wet. Therefore, we would begin in the gym. Since we were inside, we had to modify some of our training. For instance, the pitching machine we used for batting practice was loaded with tennis balls. One might think hitting a tennis ball would be easier than a regular baseball but any projectile coming at you at 70 mph is hard to hit. And those who make it to the major leagues consistently face 90+ mph pitches. I can’t even imagine that. However, with enough practice, it is possible to become proficient at hitting a fast ball. The much more difficult task is being able to hit what are called “breaking balls.” A curve. A slider. A change up. Balls that do not come at you in a straight line. They dip and bend. Change speeds. In fact, often the primary reason a player does not graduate from the minor leagues up to the majors is because they are unable to hit breaking balls.

Similarly, life can throw us curve balls as well. Things we did not see coming or could not anticipate. Remember when the Lord told Moses, “I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10)? Moses was shocked What? Me? Who am I to do such a thing? Moses argues with God, “I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled” (Exodus 4:10). This was a major curve ball! How about when Jesus appeared to the disciples in the midst of a storm walking on the water. He throws Peter a curve ball inviting him to step out of the boat and onto the water as well. At first, Peter does so but then “…when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink” (Matthew 4:30). Swing and a miss. It’s hard to hit the curve. 

It would be nice if life was predictable. Safe. Secure. No surprises. Alas, that is not our reality. We, or someone we love, may get sick or injured. We might lose our job or be offered a great opportunity, however, in another state, which requires our family to move. Perhaps a relationship breaks down or a loved one dies. It could be something significant like those or as annoying as the car not starting in the morning or getting a flat tire. There are any number of curve balls we might face each and every day. How do we hit the curve?

The Bible says to, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Trusting God is like spending time in the batting cage. We eventually learn to hit the curve. We cannot avoid curve balls. It is a reality of living in a fallen world. We can learn to hit them though. Keep swinging. Trust the Lord and you will hit it out of the park.

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