My eyes were focused, no, fixed on a spot a hundred or so feet in front of me. That is where I wanted to be. I took notice of nothing else … I was consumed with but one thing. It was at that moment that reality came crashing back into view as I saw all those faces looking at me. Only then did I become aware of the spherical object passing over my head. The exploding sound of hardwood on horsehide had totally escaped me and I was now faced with one solid fact … IT WAS TOO LATE!
Life can be hard when its spring 1954, you’re 10 and stuck in left field. It might as well be the outer darkness where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth. The one place I wanted to be – the only place I wanted to be – was at the other end of the field. Yes, my body was in left field but my mind, my heart, my total being were all behind home plate. My eyes looked down at my left hand at the old, worn out, soft, floppy Nokona fielder’s glove. Not only was it a fielder’s glove, it was my dad’s “softball” glove. No webbing, no long fingers, no leather thongs between the fingers to make the basket catch. No, life just couldn’t be crueler than it was at that moment. The only thing standing between home plate and me was right there before my eyes. The only problem was that it was on the left hand of the kid squatting behind home plate. He was the only kid in the whole town that owned a Catcher’s Mitt.
Ah but the price of my discontent. The ball sailed straight over my head and was last seen bounding into the cornfield that marked the left field fence. Right past the outstretched arm of the duty scarecrow. I wore the memory of that “homer” on my long walk home. Well it was really only 3 blocks but it seemed like the Bataan Death March. I didn’t know what felt worse, allowing the game winning home run or being out there in left field in the first place.
Oh how I wish that had been the last time that happened in my life but alas, it was just one instance among many … not being content with where God had placed me. There is a wonderful scripture that comes to mind in conjunction with this subject:
Phil 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Paul, speaking to the Philippian church, addressed an area that the church of today (you and I) still faces – contentment. How many times have we not been content with being where God has placed us? How many times have we been so focused on being someplace else or doing something else that we let the ball fly over our head? Sadly I have to admit that I am guilty on all counts. And it has taken me a long time to understand just why I continue to let it happen. Well, perhaps that’s not quite true. It may really be an issue finally admitting what I knew to be true all along.
We desire to be someplace else for many reasons but they all seem to center around anxiety or dissatisfaction with our current situation. I know you understood the first one but I saw you flinch at the second. Let’s make it easy and look at the first one; anxiety.
Paul knew all about being anxious in life. In his letter to the Corinthians we get more than a sample:
2Cor 11:24-28 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26. In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27. In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
That’s a lot of underlining – it sets the bar pretty high for me! And if what he sets forth in verses 24-27 isn’t enough, he notes that these are all attacks from the outside. On top of all that he still has all the anxiety of contending with what God has called him to do (verse 28). And we all know that there is more than enough mischief in the 1st century church today to keep them all busy. Could that be true today?
If there was ever a man who had the right to want to be somewhere else it was Paul. What a comparison; Paul in his infirmities and me in the “left fields” of my life. While he was glorying in being lashed, beaten and stoned I was being anxious and complaining to God about my present circumstances. What a contrast! Making it even worse, listen to Paul’s response to his situation:
2Cor 11:29-30 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? 30. If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
Or perhaps his response to the Philippians:
Phil 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
It mattered not to Paul although I am sure his flesh definitely preferred “abounding” and “being full.” But he was able to make that choice; his decision to choose contentment rather than anxiety. He chose to remain steadfast in spite of the circumstances rather than to run because of them. While “stoning” and “left field” are certainly not synonymous the answer in both cases is exactly the same.
Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Paul knew that in all things there was no reason to become anxious because in ALL things he was able to overcome through Christ. Now we need to be sure we understand a subtle truth in this verse. That truth is often ignored and gets a lot of believers in trouble.
What Paul knew was that no matter where God sent him or what He called him to do, he could always count on His strength – the strength of The Spirit – to get him through it. The key however is being obedient to God’s will, and that is where the believer can get into trouble. It’s all about being where God wants you.
If God has placed you in left field, spending your time trying to figure out how to get behind home plate instead of being content is going to result in the ball flying over your head. You can call on the strength of Jesus all day long but your arm isn’t going to stretch 15 feet up in the air and catch that ball whistling over your head. On the other hand, if you are content with being in left field and are paying attention to where you are, then maybe, just maybe, you might have started running back a little earlier and had the necessary arm length to catch the ball when it got there. Now I know that was a bit of a “reach” but it makes sense. It brings us to point number two; dissatisfaction.
So many times we grumble about our present situation without ever stopping to think that God might just have us there for a reason. We will never know that reason if we’re too busy trying to figure out how to get to some place else. Has God called you to a place in your life that isn’t what your flesh wants? Well how about Joseph? I don’t think he could have been thrilled with his circumstances. After all, God had given him 2 very clear dreams (Gen 35:5-9) that definitely painted a picture far different than where he found himself for 13 years of his life (Gen 39). Did Joseph let the ball fly over his head? No, he like Paul trusted God to provide for him in his present circumstances for he knew that being obedient to God required being content and trusting God for his strength. It must have been awfully hard to be wrongfully imprisoned and not lose faith in God, but he never complained and never lost his faith. And when God had completed his work in Joseph He fulfilled both of those dreams (Gen 42:6).
Yes, where God calls us He provides for us. However, the problem we sometimes have is putting ourselves where we want to be and then trying to call on Jesus for the provision. Ouch! Disobedience and provision don’t go hand in hand but repentance and provision do. When I have repented of my disobedient actions God has always been faithful to give me the strength to get out of the mess I created. And have you ever noticed that God doesn’t lift a hand to help you run away but he rolls up His sleeves in the worst messes we make to help us get back.
And therein lays the answer. It really is so very simple; the best place to be is where God wants us to be. Why? Because that’s where He is! We need to learn to be content in whatever situation God has placed us. We need to remember that He is working everything to the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28). Even when we are following God, like Joseph, and find ourselves in a situation that is not what we think it should be, He is always there to strengthen us.
God always uses our current circumstances to draw us closer to Him and in the process He may even allow us to accomplish some work for Him. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you had a choice to grumble about your circumstances or stop and help someone in your path? It’s a lot like standing in left field, submit and be an asset to your team or rebel and cost them the game. But make no mistake; it’s always about drawing us closer to Him and helping us become more like His Son – ever working toward the finished product. We are not a finished product until the potter says so and until that time He puts us where He wants us.
We all like the thought of resurrection power but we often run away from crucifixion suffering. We don’t like to deny our flesh and be obedient to the voice of The Spirit in adversity. Jesus told us that if they persecuted Him, how could we think they wouldn’t do the same to us (John 15:20). I personally find comfort in those times remembering that whatever I am going through or wherever I find myself, it isn’t being nailed to a cross. Yes, if we are obedient and submit to His will for our life then we will be able to do all things through Christ who strengthens us; all those things He asks us to do.
Yes, there I was, looking “in” while everyone else was looking “out” and that little sphere flew right over my head. But there was a happy ending to the story. After a long talk with my father about the merits of being the best you can be wherever the coach puts you, I found out that left field wasn’t so bad. In fact I became rather good at the position and the scarecrow spent far less time backing me up and more time tending to the crows. Should I not have been surprised that one day I came home after a ballgame to find a brand new Catcher’s Mitt on my bed? The smell of the new leather filled the whole house and you couldn’t get it off my hand with a pry bar. It was my pillow for months.
Our heavenly Father is like that. When we become content in our present circumstances and look to Him for direction He is able to work on our behalf. But when we struggle and fight against the pressure we close Him out and the situation only gets worse. God has a plan for each one of us and there are going to be those times when we have to play left field; when the clay pot has to be put in the kiln. But it’s for a reason and I can assure you that it will almost certainly involve others, not just ourselves. There isn’t anything we that we do as a member of the Body of Christ that doesn’t affect the other parts. Can you possibly burn your finger without the rest of your body suffering the effects? Playing left field affects 8 other players who will eventually look to you at some point in the game to do your part. Have you prepared? Are you ready? Are you in tune with what’s going on around you?
Let’s learn to trust God with our life and dedicate ourselves to whatever He sets before us. We can be sure that absolutely nothing happens in our life that catches Him unaware. He knows when the fly ball is going to be hit in our direction and He wants us to be in position to catch it. Let’s be ready and not waste time being anxious or discontent with our circumstances. If we are the wrong place God will move us and if we are in the right place then it’s because He wants us to be there.
The important thing to remember is … winners don’t just sit behind home plate!