When things go well in my life, I am quick to think, “wow, I am such a good jobber.” I give myself all the credit I can as quickly as I can. I think I am one cool kid, that’s for sure.
And I believe that is a position taken by most people. Humans love to be right. We love to be the ones responsible for good things that happen. We are all arrogant pieces of poop.
And while there is a lot in life that takes place thanks to hard work, endurance, grit, innovation, and a general go-get-em attitude, I tend to think there is a lot more that we should chalk up to our surroundings, infrastructure, actions of others, privilege, political frameworks, and overall LUCK.
A story I heard recently illustrates the point pretty well. (More baseball comparisons coming at you. Sorry, not sorry.)
no-hitter – a complete game in which a pitcher yields no hits to the opposing team.
A no-hitter is lauded as the crowning achievement of a pitcher (arguably MORE incredible than a Perfect Game, but that is a debate for another day) When a no-no is thrown, that pitcher’s name is entered into a list that will live on forever in baseball statistician heaven.
Now that we have that defined, cue that 1969 Chicago Cubs (it is beautiful that this story has to do with my beloved Cubbies).
Ken Holtzman took the mound and started firing away. With a quick look at the score card, all you would see an incredible no hitter performance. BUT, if you looked a little closer, you would see that EVERY OUT RECORDED that game was from a ball put in play. Which means, every batter that got up, made contact with the ball, put it in play, and the other 8 players were able to either catch the ball or field and throw the runner out.
Ken Holtzman never threw a single strike out that game. He owed every out to his team. In fact there was one very dramatic moment of the game when Hank Aaron hit a ball so hard that everyone was SURE it was gone, only to watch it be caught at the wall by the left fielder. That left fielder noted after the game that he saw the ball go over the fence, only to be “blown back into play just far enough for him to catch it up against the ivy.” Sounds pretty incredible, doesn’t it?
What I want to note is that you don’t see those other 8 men on that immortal no-hitter list. And you for sure don’t see that lucky gust of wind that blew a home run ball back into play!
Now, I am not saying that Ken Holtzman doesn’t deserve the spot on that list. He absolutely does. It takes incredible skill to pitch in a way that puts balls in play that are “fieldable”. No player on the other team got a hit! It is a NO HITTER.
BUT, I am saying that he was supported in his heroic action by his team, by the weather, and by God (He is a baseball fan, you know…)
That story is a dramatic (and beautiful) example of how we, and our achievements, are a result of many, many factors. And I think it is our duty to acknowledge those other factors – especially the role that God plays in our lives.
However, it can admittedly seem difficult to know exactly what blessings comes from God. To which prophets recommend to always “let thy heart be full of thanks unto God” (Alma 37:37) After all, it is a safer bet to just attribute everything to God, right?
Anyways, get on your knees tonight, and praise the Lord for your amazing team, that good luck, and those favorable winds.
19 know ye… (that) ye are not your cown?
20 For ye are abought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, (perhaps we can add here and in your deeds) which are God’s.
