First or Last?

First or Last?

June 16 Schenectady and Cooperstown, New York

Matthew 19:30  But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

Luke 9:46-48  An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and made him stand beside him. Then he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is to the greatest.’

Matthew 20:24-28 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’

       Thursday, June 16, I had the opportunity of a life-time!  I got to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame. It is located in Cooperstown, NY. There were three floors of all of baseball’s greatest players since the inception of baseball. As we entered the first floor there was a huge picture of Babe Ruth. I took a selfie of me and Babe. That’s right. No kidding. It had all kinds of information about Babe Ruth and his history in Baseball. Another part of the first floor had the “Hall of Fame” plaques for each of the baseball players who have been inducted since it began. It was amazing! It shone in gold and sparkled everywhere with a crystal clear dome ceiling that the outside light could shine through. Mickey Mantle has always been my favorite player so I looked for his plaque right away. And, of course, Hank Aaron, another one of my all-time favorites.

      The second floor had the highlights of many of baseball’s greatest players. At the beginning they had the uniform, a bat, a glove and other paraphanelia highlighted for each team in the National and American League. They had videos about how baseball started. With statistics about their game and an autobiography of their life. Many of baseball’s greats were there—Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and many others.

       Statistics, statistics, statistics was the third floor.….a section on women in baseball, the most home runs, the most no-hitters, the most….. whatever you can think of it was there.  All the MOST of every category!

       All throughout the museum there were large screen TVs replaying baseball’s greatest moments. Amazing catches, home runs hit at just the right time, unbelievable catches made, and plays no one ever thought would happen!

        In Matthew 20, Jesus said,  ..”whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave…”  That doesn’t sound like anything I saw in the Baseball Hall of Fame. All of those players were in there for something the “world” thought was great and amazing! Jesus’ standards for greatness are vastly different from the “world’s standards” of greatness. The world says go bigger and better. Be the best, at all costs! Spend more, buy bigger houses and newer cars. Move up the corporate ladder, no matter the cost! Jesus says ‘ do more for others, be a slave to others’- that makes you great! 

            Take a short inventory—who’s BEST list do you want to be a part of? The Lamb’s book of life will be opened one day. The Lord’s best will be named- those who had repented of their sins and asked Jesus to be their Savior! That’s the list I want to be on when the end of life comes.