"Hammy"

     Most Monday night's this Summer finds me playing softball for our church in a church softball league. Some of our younger, lady members call it "Old Man Softball" and to that there is some truth. It is good that us "old guys" have those young whippersnappers to rely on or it would be a very long night.
    Anyone who knows me understands that sports has been a huge part of my life. I am one of those sappy old-timers that thinks sports is a great analogy for life and we can learn many things about living from the playing field.
   This has been an interesting softball season for me. Mentally, I am still that young kid that can make all the plays and run the bases with reckless abandon. Realistically, I have pulled my hamstring in both legs this Summer trying to make all the plays and run the bases with reckless abandon.
    After the latest "hammy"I whined to my wife as we were driving home from the ball field  "I don't understand? This has never happened to me. I have never had these leg issues!" And she placed her hand gently on my leg and said "But, honey. You are getting older."
   Which bring the older me back to the softball field this past Monday. My legs felt fine, not great, and I  determined to use wisdom as I played. Of course, my wife is in the stands saying "Be careful, Babe." One of my younger friends says "Hey now, don't run too fast today. One base at a time."
    Old Man Softball.
    Well, I do hit and I hit well. Hit line drives all night with a couple towards the fence that in my younger days would have been triples but this night they were just jogging-stand-up-doubles. As they replaced me with a faster, younger runner I come into the dug-out.
    "Hey, Pastor, nice wheels" one of the young wisenheimers smirks at me. I laugh. And then Z chirps in"You gotta run for Jesus!" Laugher all around. It really is a great bunch of guys and gals.
    But in that slightly sarcastic, little dig at his pastor there is a lot of truth.

   Christ would say about his mission to this planet "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work." John 4:34.
    Paul would tell the Colossians "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." 3:23

    In other words, run for Jesus. We need teachers, doctors, actors, housewives, administrators, plumbers, and (you fill in the blank) who do the things they do as if they were doing them for God. Because in the end, we are. God has created us with talents and gifts not to keep them to ourselves selfishly, but to allow others to benefit and enjoy our gifts as well. We glorify God by doing well what God has put us on this planet to do.
   So run for Jesus. Even with a pulled hammy.