"re-learning" a lesson

Is it just me or do you find yourself needing to have lessons “re-taught” to you occasionally in order for them to sink in? I know that somewhere, either a newsletter piece or early in my blog I wrote about the same lesson I’m re-learning tonight. To be gut-level honest I am a bit irritated. I’m a huge Texas Rangers fan and this is the 2nd year they have made it to the World Series and it feels like it’s slipping away again. To top it off, the umpires have blown key calls in two of the three games, both going against the Rangers in critical situations. In game #1, losing by a run and the Rangers best home run hitter at the plate, it’s the last inning and he fouls a pitch off his foot that the umpires all missed, calling it a fair ball and he was “out” at first. Then tonight in a 1-0 game there’s a blown call at first base where the Ranger clearly tagged the Cardinal runner a good step before 1st base, and somehow the umpire missed it and the Cardinals go on to score four runs that inning.

So here’s the lesson I’m learning … or shall I say “re-learning” … are you ready for it? I’m all upset … and this is JUST a game. I doubt we will stand around in heaven talking about blown calls in the 2011 World Series. I told Jan, out of frustration really, I was going to leave the game for a few minutes and write a blog since I’d not written one recently. As I sat wondering what to write about and really still stewing over the game, it came to me.

• I doubt the family who I helped bury their beloved uncle today is worried too much about any missed calls.
• I doubt the deacon who I visited in the hospital this week as he watched his dear mother leave this life is too consumed with umpires, runs, and scores.
• I doubt the faithful member I visited in the hospital this week, who’s wife is dying from cancer and he had to listen to her as she planned her funeral with me is too concerned about who wins this game … he has bigger “fish to fry”.
• I doubt the man who is at the Medical Center right now with his wife of many years who had a heart attack today is worried whether the umpires are getting their “calls” right.
• I doubt the family in another state that a friend told me about that lost two children in a car wreck this week is even watching the game.
• I doubt the missionary friend who serves single in a closed north Africa country that is predominantly Muslim, who literally risks his life for the cause of Christ is even able to watch the game, much less worry about blown calls.

I wish I could tell you I will never again have to be reminded of this lesson. I also wish I was able to say that when this game is over and the Rangers likely lose, that it won’t cause me any angst. But the bottom line is I’m an imperfect human still learning what it means to live out my faith in a world that desperately needs to know Christ; a man doing his best. Though failing at times, often really, but doing his best, to live “right” in a “wrong” world.