I coached baseball at State High for 6 years. A few years ago, I stepped out of that role so that I could be more present with my own kids, and that has been one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made (next to asking Kim to marry me!)
That being said, hardly a day goes by–seriously–that I don’t think about baseball. I love the game! I played baseball through college, and have coached at 2 schools over the past 20 years. After my seasons ended in high school and college I umpired with my dad. While I don’t regret stepping down, I miss being part of that atmosphere.
State High has a tremendous history as a baseball school. They’re always competitive; losing 5 games in a regular season (of 20 games) is a bad year. Lots of guys make the jump to college ball, and a few have gone on to play professionally. I’m waiting for one of my guys to hit the majors!
I had the privilege of baptizing a former player this Spring. We didn’t talk about faith much while I was his coach; the school administration was crystal clear that I was there to coach baseball, not talk about faith. As much as I wanted to speak into that part of my players’ lives, I respected the wishes of the administration. But something must have touched his life, and he called me out of the blue to ask if I would be willing to baptize him.
Bruce Eveleth and I scooted over to Blair County Ballpark today to watch State High play Hollidaysburg for the District Championship. As we watched our Little Lions pound out hit after clutch hit, I noticed that most of the starters were part of the last team I coached. They were freshmen then, playing on my JV team. Now they’re seniors, and they’ve taken the next step on their quest for a state championship.
I hope that they learned some good baseball from me. I would like to think that the things I tried to instill in them shaped the way they approach the game. It made me proud (in a good way) to see how they’ve grown. As I reflected on my time with them, I found myself hoping that they picked up more than just baseball skills from my time with them.
We all have the opportunity to be a person of influence. As we rub shoulders with people each day, we can help but shape the way they see the world. And as we influence them, they become like us in our attitudes, actions, and affections. Jesus said that when a student is fully formed, he will be like his teacher. That’s true in baseball, and true in life.
I don’t think we need an official designation as “the instructor” to be people of influence. But we do need to be intentional. Every one of us has the potential to be a force for good, and a force for God in this world. It’s vital that we lead lives worth imitating. Our character is obvious to the people who spend time with us. I’m praying that the character of Jesus will be stronger and more evident in my life, so that those I spend time with see him, and want to follow him.
How about you–who are you influencing?
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