I was reading the book "Baseball and Philosophy" the other day, and I came upon a passage on page 10: “In baseball, the goal is to get home. Yet, every batter starts off at home. Why leave? The answer is that ‘home’ in baseball doesn’t count until you’ve left it then returned. Home doesn’t become meaningful until you’ve experienced the risk that lies in front of it. You can’t score until after you have confronted the pitcher and those fielders who are trying to stop you.”

That’s profound! As I think about the mental side of baseball, I can picture the looks on the face of a young player when he faces the pitching of another kid for the first time. But I also picture in my mind the sheer pleasure shown on his face as he safely crosses home plate. At that moment, he knows it was worth the risk of standing at home plate in order to get the chance to cross it.

As a Christian, I’m away from home. Heaven is my real home. I’m facing a devil of a pitcher and a field full of sinful temptations. I have choices to make: I can be a bench-warmer, or I can take my swing at making a real difference for Christ. Either way, I’m going home one day. I can arrive with the trophies of a gamer, which I can place at the feet of my Savior; or I can arrive with only a ticket to the game that Jesus provided me.

Today, let’s all take our stand at home plate, knowing that when we cross it once more, our Savior will be there to welcome us and give us a warm, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”