Conference on the Mound

Good morning! I hope you had a great weekend.

This afternoon I had the opportunity to take in a minor league baseball game. I love going to baseball games, but I especially love minor league games, because the players are playing for the chance to pursue a dream. They give it their best in the hopes that someone in their major league parent organization will notice them.

One of my favorite things to watch in a baseball game is the strength and resiliency that is demonstrated by a pitcher as the game wears on. The guy, who started the game throwing 93 mph strikes, begins to throw 89 mph balls. The batters start getting counts that are more favorable for offense and before long a conference takes place on the mound. The catcher, the manager and the pitcher discuss the viability of the pitcher continuing on. After a moment the conference on the mound ends and the pitcher digs deep within to deliver what is necessary to eliminate the batter.

I don’t know about you, but many days I feel like that pitcher on the mound. The heat of the day is beating down on me, my throwing arm feels like Jell-O and I’ve thrown every possible combination I can at my challenge, but all I seem to be doing is loading the bases. It is at these times that I become so grateful for the divine conferences that take place on my pitcher’s mound of my life:

Hebrews 10:24-25 (NASB)
24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,
25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another ; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.

Those who are willing to come to the mound and conference with me are some of the greatest assets of my life. These are friends and mentors who have taken a deep interest in my life. They watch my performance and quickly realize when I am struggling. It is during these times that they evaluate my resolve and speak the words that inspire me to dig just a little deeper for that next strike.

Many unfortunately miss out on the value of these types of relationships for one simple reason…fear of honesty. The risk of encouragement is the exposure of our weaknesses and struggles. It is only through identifying the identification of these areas that our weaknesses can be pinpointed and words of strength can be targeted.

Today if you find yourself struggling, I encourage you to call a conference on the pitcher’s mound. Invite a close friend and a mentor to join you, giving them permission to give you some objective counsel. I promise you that once your conference is through, you will find renewed strength and resolve, to put away the next batter.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl