It’s been a rainy spring here in Maryland, and after some rain outs the little league season began yesterday for our six-year-old son. In his first ever baseball game, he hit a single, two doubles, a triple, and scored three runs. At the plate he looked like a natural (if you didn’t get distracted by the undersized batting helmet that pinched his head and refused to go down all the way). Defensively, he made two put outs from third base in one inning. His team won 20-6.
But more importantly, I was watching to see how my son would respond to mistakes, errors, coaching instruction, the play of his opponents, and the successes of his teammates. We’ve been talking about the manifold temptations he will experience in baseball hoping to capture as many of these as opportunities to train him for life.
C.J. Mahaney has helped me to understand these sports as great opportunities for God-glorifying, character building in our children. And Saturday I was reminded of the very helpful teaching of C.J. as I was watched the young kids kicking the dust, folding their ears over as they squeezed on the small batting helmets, listened to coaches blurt out the most obvious of commands, the chuckles of the parents watching our kids axe hack at pitches over their heads, watching grounders trickle to the outfield past statues of infielders, and the puzzled looks of two teams of players who had never worn a baseball uniform.
In an interview with Steve Shank posted earlier on TSS C.J. explains how he trained his son in humility during the soccer season (see “Interview with C.J. Mahaney on biblical masculinity”). I’m reminded that I want to prepare my son to walk on the field with a theological awareness of what’s happening. But first I need to become a father with this cultivated awareness. And that’s where the growth needs to first happen.
Tony Reinke 
Tony.
Thanks for the post. It brings back many sweet memories from my days on the ball-field. There’s something about sports that provide two wonderful things for a young boy (or girl): (1) Opportunities to reflect Gods’ glory by being Christ-like in how we win, how we lose, and how we play the game. (2) A clear glimpse into the heart. The well-spring of our hearts often overflows into the situations and relationships we find ourselves in both on and off the field. Nothing displayed the vileness of my heart more obviously than sports–either pride of success, bitterness of failure, frustration over lack of fairness, or occasional feelings of self-sufficiency, etc. So many lessons–so many stretching moments where God grows the roots of a boy deep within Himself. Thankfully, by His grace there were times when the love of Christ was occasionally displayed in the humility, joy, and love with which I had the opportunity to compete–seeking to carry myself in ways unlike the world. God definitely uses sports to break and mend the hearts of His children to Himself! He teaches them that their “success” is found in HIM and imitating HIM always; and He shows them the good (Christ) and bad (their sin) within their own hearts. It’s really a quite revealing glimpse at our spiritual maturity at any given season of life. How glorious that God could use something so wonderful to challenge and encourage us toward godliness!!
Very well said, Gabe!!
Tony
Tony,
So great to hear about Johnnies baseball game. It would have been so great to see him smash the ball and make his way around the plates. I’m equally impressed with your observations of your son and those around you. Its wonderful to hear your thoughts and see a little into your heart. It continues to challenge me in my parenting and my selfishness. Tye, my son, and I are starting the track season and this will be a good reminder for me to teach Tye to love others above all else as we participate in meets. Please pray for me in this area. Tye is very talented in track and field (one of the best in the nation for his age division) and I tend to look at his performances rather than what God is doing through him with his gift in athletics. Thanks Bro–Tim