Each week, this page is designed, hopefully, to help someone who has experienced a setback, or who feels lower than a snake's belly from guilt or fear or sorrow. This week's story is from a champion who struck out 1330 times and had 851 homeruns. That's a a failure rate of 479 more failures than 'successes.", yet we remember him as a champion. Why?
One day he had been mercilessly booed as he struck out twice successively on three balls thrown. But, "each time," said Frank Bettger, who was observing him closely, he went over and doffed his cap and smiled at the crowd. Late in the game he came up to bat again. ON second strike he flailed so hard he fell to the ground. But he got up! Dusted off and knocked the third pitch out of the ballpark and over some houses! One of the longest hits ever. Bettger, remembering the drama of that great moment in baseball, said: "He went over and doffed his hat again, smiled that same little smile, and the expression on his face was exactly like the one he wore on the first two occasions." Someone asked this man who struck out more times than anybody else, "What do you do when you get in a batting slump?" "I just keep goin' up there and swinging at 'em. I know the law of averages will hold good for me the same as anybody else."
'Brother Gilbert' who discovered him, said: He looked better striking out than he did hitting home runs!" What a statement to be made about someone! In the homeruns, the talent showed. In the strikeouts, the man showed.
Any of us can look good in success, but it is in adversity that we can show ourselves the be the tower of strength we are. For some, that testing comes in aweful sorrow. For others, its tolerating grevious sickness. Still others find their character showing in financial adversity. Or dreams crushed in the ground.
Christianity is that way. It shows most beautifully when undergoing tribulation, when almost casually giving up rights or privileges for peace and principle.
BL
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