I’ve always been gleeful about the game.  From my first introduction to baseball when I was very young to this very day, I love the sport. 

Some of my favorite memories of my childhood were connected to baseball.  Game nights in the downtown ballparks.  Players in their matching uniforms.  Stands full of family and friends.  Grandparents honking horns from their vehicles parked around the ballfield when their grandson (or someone on his team!) did something good on the diamond.  The thrill of the at-bat, of banging an extra base hit, or of delivering the pitch or making a play.  The excitement of victory; the deflation of defeat.  Fruit-flavored snow cones after the game that turned one’s tongue a brilliant hue, purchased from the vender ideally situated a short distance behind the backstop. Championship trophies two years in a row – trophies I still treasure.

Then there were the late nights as a grade-school boy listening to the play-by-play of the Detroit Tigers games … enjoyed on ear buds (though we didn’t call them that then), so that I didn’t keep my brother awake.  Or as a teenager, watching the games on TV … even the very late ones on the West Coast … despite having to get up early for the summer job.

As a father, I was privileged to spend approximately twenty years coaching my children’s baseball teams.  Precious times, those years!  And our teams even won some games and awards along the way.

There has never really been a summer in the last fifty or so years without baseball in my life, and rarely a day without at least a sprinkle of a game listened to or watched here or there.  When we moved to Washington, it was only natural to begin following the Mariners.  They’ve had some great moments through the years, but unfortunately not many of them.  Of course, there was the infamous drought; 21 years of never making it into the playoffs.

Until this year!  And not only did they make the playoffs, they advanced out of the wildcard round!  (Much to the chagrin of one of my sons who is a fan of the other team.)

But as I write this and post this, the Mariners are one game away from elimination by the largely despised (due to a cheating scandal) but extremely talented Houston Astros. 

Of course, I can’t know what will happen.  The Mariners may be bounced out of the playoffs in the very next game, or they may win a game or two.  They may even, against all odds, win the next three games and advance to the next round.

Along with all the other diehard M’s fans, I was bitterly disappointed at their first two losses in this series.  Especially since they led the first contest the entire way, until the victory was cruelly snatched away from them with only one out left in the game.

But here is the lesson the Lord taught me this week: it doesn’t matter.  It doesn’t matter in the least.  It really doesn’t matter at all.

Those who know me will accuse me of being hypocritical with that sentiment, because they know how avidly I follow the team, and how long I (and all Mariners’ fans!) have been waiting to see the team play in and win meaningful postseason games. They also know that I will continue to try to watch the games as long as they are still “in it.”

But I mean it; winning playoff games, advancing to the next round, even securing a World Series trophy is completely inconsequential.  As is virtually any other earthly pursuit in whatever area a person’s interests may lie.

Sometimes one needs something to alter their perceptions.  Sometimes God gives many “somethings!”

Like people you care deeply about receiving extremely bad medical news.  Or God-fearing people being taken suddenly from this earth.  Or families imploding.  Or grown children branching out into new careers or lifelong relationships, or moving to new residences.  Or the purchase of a new house 2,000 miles away hanging in the balance.

And even these things, while significant, aren’t the most significant things.  No, there are much greater priorities – in the lives of individuals, as well as in the arenas of families, congregations, and church bodies.  Souls are at risk and being fought over in the spiritual realms; eternities hang in the balance; life with the Lord in heaven … or not … is being determined.

So the outcome of the Major League Baseball playoffs is really inconsequential.  There are so many things in life that are so much more important … yes, that are better! … than baseball. Like Jesus our Savior and the victory he has secured for us.  Like the abundant blessings the Lord pours into our hearts and lives, and the hearts and lives of our loved ones.  Like the simple things in life … and especially the spiritual ones. 

The Lord tries to impress this upon us through the words of the Apostle Paul: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy —think about such things” (Philippians 4:8-9).

To me, baseball is great.  But God has recently reminded me that there are many things even better!  Thank you for the forced reassessment, Lord.