Don't Swing

Bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, a score of 7-6 with two outs and a full count… John mentally prepared for the final swing. With one swing, John would either send his team to victory or send them home packing. He steps us, swings and hears, “Strike three. You’re out!” Game over. With his head hung low, John sulked back to the dugout. His coach leaned over and asked, “Why did you swing? You knew that wasn’t a good ball.” John responded, “I don’t know coach.”

In life, we are faced with many moments where we are like John. Situations approach, and we know they aren’t good for us, but we say, yes, anyway and swing. These are called moments of temptation. God knows we struggle with temptation daily. We fall short, and we get tripped up by temptation. Romans 3:23 says that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

God isn’t surprised when we say, yes, when we should say, no. This is why He uses 1 Timothy 6:11 to urge us to flee from tempting things and pursue only good and holy things. He gives us the Bible to know the tricky plays Satan will throw our way and to flee from them and avoid them. Satan wants us to swing, miss and strike out. But God wants to see us hit a grand slam and run toward goodness.

We may have said, “yes,” to moments we knew weren’t good for us. But the game isn’t over. God’s game doesn’t strike us out and send us home packing. God gives us grace and forgiveness through Jesus.

And just as batters get back up to home plate, when we wake up each morning, God teaches us to swing again, but only at the good ones. If it’s not good for you, don’t swing.