Don't Get Outplayed!

(Disclaimer warning: My apologies up front to anyone who doesn't like sport analogies and are not baseball fans.)

Spring Training is underway for all Major League Baseball (MLB) teams. Opening Day is scheduled for March 18 and 19 with a two-game series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, Japan. March 27 will be the first games for almost all the other teams. Right now teams are busy determining which players will be on their rosters. Coaches are encouraging all of the players with instruction and motivational words such as "Don't Get Outplayed!" That phrase carries the idea of playing harder and smarter than the opposing team.

I remember when I was much younger, someone asked me if I knew where the baseball game was in the Bible. I didn't know, but this person said it is in Genesis where the Bible says "in the big inning." You and I both know that Genesis 1:1 is not about baseball but rather about creation and actually states "In the beginning." But in the first three chapters of Genesis we find a little similarity to spring training and baseball.

In Genesis 1 and 2 God gave Adam instructions about living in the Garden of Eden including the work he should do, the upkeep of the garden, the naming of the animals, and the food that was available to eat. But in Genesis 2:16-17, God gave the instruction about not getting outplayed.

"You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree

of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day

that you eat of it you shall surely die."

After God had created Adam and Eve, we do not know how long it was before Satan in the form of a serpent approached Eve and told her that God had lied about them dying if they ate of the forbidden tree. She took a bite of the fruit. Satan outplayed her. Then she gave some of the fruit to Adam and he ate. Through Eve, Satan outplayed him.

The truth is that Satan has outplayed us all with a variety of temptations that has lead us into sin. When we disobey God, we are sinning. The Bible reminds us in Romans 3:23 that all of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. We have all been outplayed by the wiles and temptations that Satan has placed around us.

In baseball terms, there is one superstar who has never been outplayed. That one is Jesus. The scriptures tell us that He was tempted in every way like us but He did not sin. Instead, He became the only way that we might have our sins forgiven. On the cross He took on Himself our sin and became the sacrifice required that through faith in Him we might be forgiven and given the promise of life eternal.

Do you remember when you were in school and would choose up teams to play a game of baseball? If you were a captain, you picked the best players available. The very best player always was chosen first. You and I have the freedom to choose whom we will trust and follow in life (in baseball terms - who will be on our team and our leader or captain). If you want to not be outplayed, Jesus is the One we need to choose to follow and allow Him to lead our lives.

Baseball season is here and that is exciting. However, nothing is more exciting or important than putting Jesus in control of one's life. He has never been outplayed and never will be outplayed. He is the only one worthy of the title - Savior and Lord.

A baseball team wants the best players so that they will win ball games. Jesus is the only One who enables us to win at life (abundant and eternal). Don't get outplayed!