Fun Friday - Joy

My family and I attended a Challenger League baseball game last night. In case you aren’t familiar, Challenger is a division of Little League baseball specifically for physically and mentally challenged individuals, ages 5-18 (or who have completed high school). My brother-in-law, who is a member of his local Optimist Club, heads up such a league in his community.

The game is coach-pitched, and there are four major components of the game: Everyone has a chance at bat for two innings. Everyone bats until they hit. Everyone makes it around to home plate. Everyone has a grand time.

This particular league has individuals with the most minor challenges to the most extreme ones. Some are in wheelchairs. Some need assistance batting or running the bases. Some are shy. Some egg on the crowd. ALL have smiles on their faces.

You would think these folks were playing in the World Series. They have their stances down pat, and most use their bats to point to where their ball is going to go. It took some of them ten or more swings to hit the ball.

One fellow (who had previously looked at all of us in the stands and told us about his future home runs) had so much difficulty hitting the ball that the coach switched places with him. He pitched to the coach. When the coach hit the ball, the young man took off running the bases and “slid” into home plate. He was so excited at his home run that he could barely contain himself. And then he asked all of us if we saw how far he hit the ball.

But you know what? These lovelies didn’t care how long it took to hit the ball or how far their ball went once they hit it. They didn’t care how long it took them to run the bases. They didn’t care when someone ran past them as they were running. These precious ones were just happy to BE.

The joy exhibited by the players is contagious. It spills out over the field and into the stands. I had to fight tears, because I was so moved by it all. I clapped and cheered, and I wanted to take all of them in my arms and tell them how well they were doing and how much I appreciated each of them.

I was reminded that this is how, as a Christ-follower, I am to approach life. With pure joy. In all situations. Good, bad and ugly. Oh boy, it’s so not easy.

I may reason, “Well, they’re happy because they don’t know better.” And the Holy Spirit prompts me: “You were given that same gift at Calvary.”

Thank you for that piece of Humble Pie. May I have another? (I may as well ask, because I know I will receive one sooner versus later.)

So as I go about my day (doing things I don't normally "enjoy"), I am going to thank God for the ability to do them, and I’m going to do each task for Him with joy. I pray that the joy I demonstrate will spill over and infect others. I pray that it will spill over and infect me some more so that I can carry it over to another day.

I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart!
Where?
Down in my heart!
Where?
Down in my heart!
I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart!
Where?
Down in my heart to stay!
And I’m so happy, so very happy!
I’ve found the love of Jesus in my heart!
And I’m so happy, so very happy!
I’ve found the love of Jesus in my heart!

I hope each of you has a joyful and blessed weekend!

Daily Bible Reading Plan
II Samuel 8-10; Psalm 110; Mark 14:32-42; Galatians 1