I was at Game 5 of the National League Championship Series at Minute Maid Park. With just one strike away from finally realizing what I've longed for for decades as an Astros fan -- a trip to the World Series -- Albert Pujols hit a three-run homer to left field putting the Cardinals ahead by one run (5-4).My guess is that most of you saw it on TV. What you didn't see was that ball falling down from wherever it went above us in the Crawford Boxes -- and landing at the feet of the people in the row in front of me. Fortunately, the guy who picked it up was a man of great integrity and unquestionable character. He quickly threw the ball back onto the field -- right where it belonged.
Today, I placed "warning" signs on my office door declaring the space (and a 5 foot radius around me) as a "No Astros Discussion Zone" -- a clear sign to my co-workers that I do not want to talk about the game. And as of 4:40 pm today, I have avoided all such conversations.
But then my friend Lisa Karabatsos forwarded me an article which snapped me out of my funk -- or, I should say that it "convicted" me out of my funk.
It's an article about Pujols -- the Villain of Game 5 and the man whose name I have made fun of for years. In the article, I learned that Pujols and I will be spending eternity together singing the praises of our Heavenly Father. As it turns out, Pujols is a Christian. And as if God were specifically trying to get my attention to snap me out of the (dare I say) "hatred" I have been feeling toward Pujols today, the headline proclaims him to be "the real deal" -- the very name of the new Bible study that I am teaching on Sunday nights. (DOH!)
During the game, I told my friend Rolly how great it is to have a home-town team with so many believers -- Berkman, Ensberg, Everett, Pettitte, Lidge, Lamb, owner Drayton McLane. So, if I want to be "the real deal" myself, I have to find it within me to rejoice in Pujols' faith, too, and to be thankful that he has a platform to reach people for Christ, to pray that he would be a man of integrity in his professional life, and that he would do all things for God's glory. Even if that includes beating the Houston Astros.
Man. Living the Christian life and being "the real deal" really isn't easy, is it?
2 comments:
I think I'm still going to pray for the Astros to win, and for Pujols to be comforted in the fact that he knows that going to the World Series isn't what it's all about.
I bet if I had Alyson Footer's job I could interview Pujols about it all.
I am very proud of your attitude change, praise God! I must also say that I have felt the exact same way you did on Monday in years past however, this year I had nothing but peace with a little bit of disappointment, praise God for that also! Way to go Astros--I love you!!
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