Greater than the Sum

Posted on June 30, 2026 by day1of1

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. – Matthew 10:29-31

“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

You have undoubtedly heard this sentiment before. The idea behind this phrase is attributed to Aristotle. In his work entitled Metaphysics, Aristotle introduces the idea that there is something greater, something more meaningful within an organized whole that goes beyond simply possessing all the individual parts. There are countless examples of this.

  • A home is more than the wood, bricks, pipes, and wires of which it is made.
  • A book is more than pieces of paper bound together with ink pressed upon them.
  • A team is more than a group of people participating in the same activity.
  • A song is more than sounds produced in a particular order.

In fairness, those descriptions aren’t wrong, they just miss the point. Listing the raw materials needed to build a home strips the value of it by removing its significance. Homes mean family, safety, comfort, and security. What someone breaks into a home, there may be property lost and damaged. This is frustrating, but repairs can be made and replacements can be found. What often takes longer to overcome is feeling of violation caused by the intruder. This happens because in life, the things we come to value most cannot be measured with a price tag.

I did a little research on this topic as it relates to us as human beings. I asked several online sources to tell me what the monetary value would be of an average person based on their chemical composition. In other words, if you “melted” someone down to their base parts, what would they be worth. The answer – somewhere approximately between one and two hundred dollars, or less. Most sites doing the calculations recognized that the number could be much higher if the costs were based on lab-grade forms of the chemicals. This is misleading though, because in our bodies, they exist as compounds and are far less pure. So, the brutal reality of it is this – the monetary value of your individual parts is the equivalent of a 10-minute oil change and a tank of gas (prices subject to change).

I’m guessing this idea doesn’t sit well with you. Nor should it. After all, the people you love most are worth far more to you than an air fryer. Imagine getting a call from your teenage son or daughter saying they were in a car accident. At that moment, is the concern over your $50,000 automobile or your $100 kid? This isn’t even a question. Your immediate thoughts aren’t about the car. You want to make sure your child is safe. This is because nobody views a child as being worth little more than a $100 bill. When we look at another person, we don’t see the value of their chemical make-up. We see the value of the life they possess. As Christians, we value life because it was breathed into us by God the Father during the week He created all things. Material goods have monetary value, but they pale in comparison when compared to the irreplaceable nature of life.

So, what price does God put on the lives of His children and His church?

$100? Absolutely not.

$60 million? Not even close.

30 pieces of silver and the blood of His Son? Now you’re talking…

God is called our Heavenly Father, and we are His children for a reason. He created us. He has given us everything we need to live abundant lives here on earth. When sin derailed this plan, He provided us a new plan, one that came with a tremendous price, not in dollars, but in the innocent blood of Jesus. By His death, Jesus has built his church and called us to bring His love into the lives of those who need it. As we do, we must once again remember that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The Holy Spirit uses the church in this faith building work. Our role in this is to seek God’s will and do our part as individuals, as families, congregations, and the global body of believers. This sounds good but remember this: Bringing people to faith is not simple, easy, or instant. It takes time to grow and develop. This will come at a cost of time, talents, and treasure. The world says the path forward for the church is confusing and costly, providing little to no return on the investment. But fear not, because even when we don’t see it, God’s will is perfect, and His plans are unfailing. God provides the direction and the resources for us to help lead our brothers and sisters to Him and to heaven.

May we always see the true value of God’s love and His plan in everything.

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So, What Happens Now?

Posted on June 6, 2026 by day1of1

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. – Isaiah 41:10

Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman is considered by many to be the greatest American tragedy ever written. Miller explores the highs and the lows of the American Dream and how pursuing it impacts people in different ways. Miller’s tragic protagonist is a traveling salesman named Willy Loman. Over the course of his life, he has carved out for himself a good, but modest existence. He has been a loyal salesman for the Wagner Company for 34 years. To hear him say it, he’s been a valuable employee who achieved great success. He owns a small home in Brooklyn. His wife Linda is kind and devoted. His sons, Biff and Happy, are destined to be great at athletics, at business, and in life.

There’s only one problem: these things aren’t true to the level Willy desires or imagines them to be. Willy’s position as a traveling salesman is being phased out. He was allowed to continue more out of empathy than value until he is finally fired from his job. At home, the serenity of his neighborhood is being choked away by larger buildings and apartments. His wife fights to defend his honor and dignity, not knowing that he had been unfaithful to her while on his business trips. Finally, his sons have traveled different paths. Biff, the eldest and more accomplished of the two, bought into Willy’s boastful dreams for him. Biff was entitled and demanded special treatment. Upon learning the truth about Willy’s alleged greatness, Biff gave up on his own dreams, suffered hard times for many years, and is only now finding his way. Conversely, Happy is young, brash, and full of himself. He talks a big game but has no substance. He is destined to follow his father’s path to glory despite knowing that it doesn’t lead there.

Willy Loman’s American Dream serves to confirm that some dreams are nightmares. Thomas Jefferson wrote of people having the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” with the key word being pursuit. Not a guarantee or assurance or even the likelihood of happiness. Just the pursuit of it. That puts the onus on us and tells us that despite our best efforts, happiness, in whatever form we define it, may never come. For Willy, happiness meant wealth, prestige, and superiority over all others. When his dreams began to crumble, he blamed everyone else for not doing their part. Finally, when he was given the slightest glimmer of better days ahead, his hubris got the better of him, leading him to commit suicide to stake his family with a $20,000 life insurance policy. He simply couldn’t live with the idea that his place in the world was that of the “low man.”

I can relate to Willy Loman for two reasons. First, I was given the opportunity to portray Willy when I was in college, so I had the opportunity to spend some time inside the mind of the character. Secondly, having lived for as long as I have, I have the benefit of seeing how my view of society, of life, and of my place in all of it has changed in the 30 plus years since walking off the stage and into the world. Here are some of the lessons I’ve learned.

I, like Willy Loman, have been both a dreamer and a fool. I have lived with the belief that I would accomplish great things. I have sought personal success and the recognition that comes with it. I have been pompous, arrogant, and self-centered. I am demanding, unbending, and overly critical of myself and others. With age and experience, some changes have occurred. That feeling of invincibility from my youth has been replaced with a mixture of contentment and regret. Conquering the world has long since been replaced with just trying to keep my corner of it clean and peaceful. I know who I am. I know my strengths and my flaws. I better understand how interacting with people works, and I am putting less effort into seeking affirmation by pleasing others. Like Willy, I can’t change the mistakes of the past. Like Willy, I see what the future can hold.

So, what happens now?

In Isaiah 41, God is speaking to the people of Israel during the Babylonian exile. Amidst the fear and uncertainty of what would happen to them, God’s words offered comfort and the reestablishment of five promises He continued to keep with them. Spoiler: He keeps these promises for us even today.

  1. I am with you. – We are never alone because God is always present in our lives. Whatever the struggle, whatever the joy, God is with us.
  2. I am your God. – An important reminder for two reasons. It establishes who He is in our lives, as well as reminding us of who we are not. I am not in control. He is, and that is for the best.
  3. I will strengthen you. – Life in a sin-filled world wears us out. At times, I lack the strength I need to face the day. God empowers us through His word, prayer, forgiveness, the sacraments, and the Holy Spirit.
  4. I will help you. – We are not equipped to answer every question or to solve every problem. Our God, the Creator of the universe offers us His help in every situation, big or small. We can rely upon Him, even when we fail to seek Him out.
  5. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. – We reassured that God has provided for our earthly and spiritual needs through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

Blessed by a lifetime upon which I can reflect and, God-willing, more time yet to come, I gladly receive these promises from God. They give me comfort knowing that His love for me has never wavered. They offer hope for today and the confidence that comes from being a chosen and redeemed child of God. It is in this state of grace, and by the Spirit working in my life that I will seek to do what He directs for the remaining time He chooses to give me.

May God, through His deep love for His people, fill your heart and mind with these promises, now and always.

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Echoes

Posted on July 21, 2025 by day1of1

He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments. – Psalm 78:5-7

I have a habit that many people don’t understand. If I like a movie, I will watch and rewatch it many times. Not back-to-back, mind you. But I will turn it on if I see it on the channel guide or will stream it if there isn’t anything else on that I want to watch. I have been told on several occasions that the endings of those movies won’t change, and so far, those people are right. I guess there’s just something I like about rewatching a movie that I enjoy, seeing things that I have missed or gaining perspectives that I hadn’t considered. I’m sure the world’s true academics cringe at that thought, but hey, I never claimed to be too intelligent, and you chose to read this.

One of my most repeatable movies is Gladiator, a film from the year 2000 starring Russell Crowe. It’s the story of a Roman general named Maximus. At the beginning of the movie, we find ourselves transported to the year 180 AD. The Roman army is preparing for battle against a Germanic tribe near Vindobona (the modern-day city of Vienna, Austria). As the start of the battle approaches, Maximus gives his final instructions to a company of soldiers on horseback. He is direct but also manages to sprinkle in some dark humor to the men about finding themselves in Elysium. As the chortles subside, Maximus offers a final reminder to his men.

“Brothers, what we do in life echoes in eternity.”

That is an interesting final statement to give these men with as they prepare to enter the fray. My initial thought was that this doesn’t offer a great deal of solace. But then again, what military leader offers solace before a fight? So, maybe this is a perfect send off. It sends a message of confidence that the battle will be won, and Rome will prevail. If we survive, we will be victorious and bask in glory. If we die, we will have given our lives to something bigger and more noble than any single one of us, the glory of Rome. Maximus’ words convey strength and honor, and who doesn’t want to be a part of that.

That’s all well and good for a soldier heading into battle, but does that same sentiment hold true under different circumstances? Do the actions of our lives truly echo in eternity?

I can see it in some occupations. Every four years, the people of the United States elect someone to lead our country. Their decisions will fill history books and be remembered for centuries. There are also a handful of performers and/or entertainers who may achieve a level of notoriety that their name and accomplishments might also tumble down through the annals of time. Like fame, infamy can also keep a person’s name and deeds alive long after they have died. Other than people in those exclusive categories, it’s hard to see how the lives of the rest of us common folk will echo into eternity.

Like it or not, without a careful and intentional process of chronicling stories and images, most children will remember only a handful of stories about their own parents. That number drops for each subsequent generation, leaving the details of a person’s life all but lost to history within 100 years of their death.

That’s a harsh truth to accept, but, nonetheless, it is the truth. We don’t like hearing it because deep down, we want our lives to have meaning and purpose. In our youth, we often consider ourselves invincible and destined to leave our mark on the world. As we mature, we understand more clearly how limited we are in our scope and influence. So even if you are fortunate enough to make a noise loud enough to be heard throughout your community, across the country, or even around the world, the echo of that sound will eventually fade into silence long before it is embraced by eternity.

So why are we here if we’re not making an impact?

Who said we weren’t?

Our lives, goals, desires, and ambitions may not leave us famous and remembered by future generations. However, we are blessed to have an eternal God who created us, the Son of God who joined us on earth for a time to save us, and the Spirit of God who creates faith in God within us. Our lives provide opportunities to serve God through the telling, sharing, and demonstrating of His great love for all mankind. When we do that, we fulfill the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20). Our lives present Christ and His love to others through the work of the Holy Spirit. In this, both we and those with whom we share our love of Jesus grow in their faith. It brings forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life to those who believe. This witness serves as the opportunity for God to bring others to faith through us, adding to the throngs who will join us in the body of believers. Finally, one day when the world has completely forgotten who we are and what we did, our Savior will bring us to the throne of God where we will be welcomed into Heaven. There, we will sing praises to God for all that He has done for us.

Praises that will echo in eternity.

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My Fearful Americans

Posted on October 30, 2024 by day1of1

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. – John 14:27

A few days from now, the United States of America will elect a new President to lead our nation. The 2024 election will be the sixtieth time Americans go to the polls to fill the office, but in many ways, this election feels very different than the previous fifty-nine. I could go in many different directions from that starting point. This election has no shortage of personalities, stories, and strong, emotional responses to the key issues, the electoral process, and especially the candidates themselves. I will not delve into these areas. You can find dozens of better (and thousands of worse) sources to provide you with information, analysis, and opinion. However, I would like to share my thoughts on one unique feature of the 2024 election.

Once again, the two major political parties have nominated candidates who are well-known to the American people. Within the various circles of society, they are both loved and loathed. In fact, it is very difficult to find people who do not offer up a strong reaction to the sight of the candidates, the mention of their name, or the sound of their voice. For some the response is one of frustration. Others feel disgust. Still others grow angry as they see and hear the latest from the campaign trail. This is nothing new. Just a part of the political process when you’re running for the highest office in the land. So, what is the big change in all of this?

Fear.

More than any other election I can recall, these campaigns have very little to do with the candidates’ platforms or their plans for how they will govern if elected. Those messages have been replaced with incredible claims about the terrible things that will happen if their opponent is elected. This fearmongering isn’t limited to the presidential race either. It trickles down to congressional, state, and local elections as well. And, because I live in a “swing state,” I get to hear these claims no fewer than a dozen times an hour, every hour, all day long.

As you hear these political claims repeated and intensified over time, you can’t help but begin to feel the weight of what you’re hearing. What if they’re right? What if these claims are true and these leaders are both destined to lead us, our country, and our world into ruins? This powerful imagery is designed to drive us to the polls to do our part to save our country from the perceived evil within, to assuage the fear they’ve built up inside of us. Not the most scrupulous way to win somebody’s vote, but it is effective and unfortunately, both candidates approve this message.

It is a terrible thing to live in fear. Our fears are supposed to be a natural reaction to actions or situations where we are threatened or in danger. Fear is designed to provide a burst of adrenaline that leads us to take quick action until we find safety. But what happens when you can’t escape, and you remain in a state of continual fear? Over time, long-term or constant feelings of fear can begin to take a physical toll. When you feel fear, your body begins a process of preparing you for the fight-or-flight response. Whether you engage in those responses or not, you breathe faster, your blood pressure is elevated, and your heart rate increases. Fear also impairs a person’s cerebral cortex, making it more difficult to think clearly and make good decisions. This is understandable and acceptable in those moments when we are frightened, but to live lives gripped by daily fear is harmful. Furthermore, to live in a state of fear caused by intentional messaging from those who espouse to lead us is nothing short of cruel.

This is not who God created us to be. Paul’s words in 2 Timothy confirm this as he says, “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” Perhaps this is why we don’t respond well to fear over long periods of time. In Hebrews 13, Paul again reminds us of the promise God made to us. “’I will never leave you nor forsake you;’ So, we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” So, while the sinful world would cripple us with fear, we know that our God has overcome the world and all its tricks, or as Jesus said in John 14,” Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” Thanks be to God for saving us from the world and the sin which corrupts it. While we are impacted daily by our own sinfulness, we know that we no longer need to live in fear. Christ took away the sting and stain of our sin. Because we are restored to a right relationship with the Father, we know that His Spirit is with us always, growing our faith and leading us to be the people He truly created us to be. May we continue to fearlessly serve Him. May He also bring peace to our nation on November 5 and beyond.

Republican Elephant VS Democratic Donkey (Composite illustration by Salon/Getty Images/Keith Bishop/tintin75)

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Tongue-tied

Posted on April 5, 2024 by day1of1

But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?  Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” – Exodus 4:10-12

As the voice of Tigers baseball, Ernie was a fixture on the radio for decades. Ernie Harwell was a Hall of Fame broadcaster, a marvelous storyteller, and a humble man of faith. It once was said that you can please some of the people some of the time, but you can never please everybody all the time. While that sentiment may be true, it seems that some people become so beloved that they come close to achieving universal acceptance. Even now, more than a decade after his passing, Ernie is revered in the hearts of Tigers fans and most Michiganders.

https://www.cooperstownexpert.com/player/ernie-harwell/

However, beloved doesn’t equal perfect, and Ernie would have been the first to say he, like all of us, had flaws. In fact, there was one obstacle he faced that had it not been addressed, he likely would have never realized the successful career he had. Author Richard Bak wrote the following story about this challenge back in 2013 (Link below).

Like all play-by-play announcers, Ernie Harwell employed several pet phrases during his 55 years in the booth. Unlike many of the current crop of broadcasters, however, Ernie’s signature calls never seemed contrived. They evolved organically, none more so than his trademark call for a called strike: “He stood there like the house by the side of the road and watched that one go by.”

That particular phrase had extra meaning for Ernie. When he was a boy growing up in Georgia in the 1920s, he had a serious speech disorder. He stuttered and had a serious lisp that prevented him from pronouncing the letter S. Little Ernie was a lovable bundle of energy, and his impediment was the cause of some good-natured ribbing by family and friends. But his father was wise enough to realize that the world wouldn’t be nearly so forgiving when Ernie was an adult. “We need to get that boy some help,” he announced one night after hearing his five-year-old son stammer his way through a conversation at the dinner table.

“They didn’t have much money,” Ernie would say later of his parents, “but they spent what they had sending me to speech teachers to overcome that handicap.” One of Ernie’s phonetic exercises was to recite a poem written by Sam Walter Foss, a late 19th-century New Hampshire poet noted for his vigorous, common-man verse. The last lines of the poem are:

Let me live in a house by the side of the road,
Where the race of men go by –
The men who are good and the men who are bad,
As good and as bad as I.
I would not sit in the scorner’s seat,
Or hurl the cynic’s ban –
Let me live in a house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

That final stanza speaks to one of Ernie’s distinguishing core virtues: a magnanimous spirit toward all people, no matter how flawed. “I know a lot of you people who’ve heard me on the radio still think I’m tongue-tied,” he joked during his Hall-of-Fame induction speech. “But, through the grace of God, officially I’m not tongue-tied anymore.”

As Christians, we often find ourselves put into situations where we struggle to find the right words to say. We freeze when the topic is too difficult, or we don’t know the answer to the question, so we have nothing to share. Sometimes, our emotions about the situation or the person asking the question leads us astray and we provide an answer that is wrong, inappropriate, or does more harm than good. Whatever the circumstance, the outcome leaves us feeling inadequate and unhelpful.

What a blessing it is to know that we, like Ernie, have a solution for our tied tongues. God’s conversation with Moses from Exodus 4 shows us that when we rely upon God, our words will be impactful. Isaiah 55:10-11 confirms the power of the word of God when it says, “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” With this reassurance, we can speak with a confidence, knowing that God is speaking through us.

Just don’t stand there like the house by the side of the road, letting those kingdom moments go by.

Link to Richard Bak’s 2013 article: Harwell overcame speech impediment to become the voice of the Tigers – Vintage Detroit Collection

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It’s About Ministry

Posted on March 1, 2024 by day1of1

For many people across our synod, and specifically in the Michigan District, the March 1, 2024, announcement by the leadership of Concordia Wisconsin brought a sense of relief. Concordia University Ann Arbor will remain open for the 2024-25 school year and beyond. There is still a long list of challenges that the university must face to ensure its long-term stability, but by the grace of God it has survived.

Over the past few weeks, God has moved many people who love and care for CUAA to stand, to speak, and to support a ministry that means a lot to them. It is an incredible turnaround over what had been shown prior to the initial announcement. Yes, there have always been people who demonstrated support for the university. But in retrospect, perhaps we were guilty of taking it for granted. Many viewed CUAA as an option in a list of institutions of higher education and nothing more. Over the past few weeks that changed, and once again CUAA became a valued ministry of our district, our synod, and our world.

How did this happen? The easy answer would be when we were faced with the possibility of losing it. But perhaps the most honest answer would be that we allowed ourselves to be lulled into a place where we felt it was fine and would just always be there because somebody was taking care of it. Somebody had everything in order. Somebody was doing the work. Somebody was supporting its needs.

Of course, the problem is when everybody leaves it to somebody, it often gets done by nobody.

It has been wonderful to see so many people from every corner of our synod moved to act in support of CUAA’s ministry. Millions of dollars have been raised, but so have millions of prayers. People took to social media to share stories of how CUAA impacted their lives, but they also have shown how CUAA is impacting the lives of a new generation of Christ’s church around the world. This outpouring of love has positioned this ministry to continue its work. But if the goal is to provide a solid future for CUAA and the other CUS schools, for Lutheran K-12 schools and preschools, for the Recognized Service Organizations of our synod, for our congregations and for our entire LCMS, we must maintain this renewed energy and focus on all the ministries of our church. Offer them your time, your tithes, and your talents. Share their mission with others who could benefit from our ministries. Also, share with people the missions of our church’s ministries, providing opportunities for others to support God’s work being done by every part of our church body.

Our work is far from over. May we always seek God’s will as we actively do His work to the glory of His holy name.

Photo Credit: Randy Duncan

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Asterisk

Posted on January 10, 2024 by day1of1

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by His death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before Him” – Colossians 1:22-23

On Monday, January 8, 2024, the Michigan Wolverines defeated the Washington Huskies 34-13 to claim the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship. As a lifelong Michigan fan, the decisive victory was a pleasure to watch. It was the culmination of a season filled with hope and promise as Michigan realized its potential and won their first national championship since 1998. It’s been a memorable year for many reasons, and some are even football related!

Michigan and its coach Jim Harbaugh have been engulfed in controversy throughout the season. The year started with the school self-imposing a three-game suspension for Harbaugh for recruiting violations during COVID. It later erupted with allegations that a Michigan staffer and some of his associates were filming the sidelines of future opponents in an attempt to decode and steal their signs. The staffer resigned, the NCAA is investigating, and the Big Ten issued another three-game suspension for the coach. The first suspension came against two of the three weakest opponents Michigan would face this year (sorry MSU fans, it’s true). The second, however, would be against two of the three best teams in the conference, including arch-rival, Ohio State. Michigan would go on to win all of those games, followed by the Conference Championship game, the Rose Bowl over Alabama, and finally Washington for the natty.

For a team to have accomplished so much is incredible. To have done so in the face of so much adversity makes it even more amazing. However, not everybody sees it that way.

For some, Michigan’s win will forever be tainted by the allegations of cheating. It’s common for rival fan bases to grouse and cry foul over impropriety, but this Michigan story became national news as the biggest sports related topic over most of the season. Now that the season is over and Michigan has been named the victors, those people who still object to the alleged cheating are claiming the win should come with an asterisk.

On the surface, that sounds weird. The claim is that by typing “Shift-8” on your keyboard after Michigan’s name we will totally resolve the issue; easing the pain of those fans who are suffering. That one keystroke will once and for all, show those cheaters in Ann Arbor that we mean business!

Again, as a Michigan fan, my initial response is, “Whatever.” Cleverly placed punctuation marks will not erase the memories, change the outcome of the game, or award anyone else a championship. But the asterisk isn’t designed to do any of that. Its goal is to diminish the accomplishment by questioning its legitimacy.

On the surface this may appear to be much ado about nothing, but there is a history to this practice. For many years, Major League Baseball listed Roger Maris’s single-season home run record in their official publications with an asterisk because he hit 61 homers playing in a 162-game schedule, while the previous record-holder Babe Ruth set his mark of 60 in a schedule with only 154 games. Why would they go to such lengths for this record? MLB didn’t quantify any other records in the same way, so why this one? Probably because commissioner Ford Frick couldn’t stomach the idea that Roger Maris, an above-average player would erase the great Babe Ruth from the record books. Getting back to the Michigan situation, the goal for those calling for the asterisk is to let history record that Michigan cheated and didn’t win their games with clean hands. The asterisk would forever blemish the title, the games, the players, coaches, and the season.

I don’t know what will eventually happen with all of this. The investigations will be conducted, and decisions will be made regarding any additional punishments that may be handed down. What I do see in all of this is a connection to our faith life.

There will never be a consensus on Michigan’s alleged guilt. Some will claim it to be overblown while others will contend that the vaunted integrity of sports was irreparably besmirched. Asterisk or not, the controversy will always be connected to a certain degree. The validity will likely fall along the lines of your fandom.

As Christians, we all fight a common issue of sin. It doesn’t matter if you root for Blue, Green, Scarlet, Crimson, or Burnt Sienna. We have all sinned. Some of our sins are significant and carry serious consequences. Many are minor infractions that are by and large unknown to the rest of the world. Unfortunately, the depth and gravity of the sin are not mitigating factors. Any sin equals impurity and ultimately death. This is a blemish that we all carry and are powerless to remove on our own.

By the grace of God shown through the loving sacrifice made by Jesus, we are given a restorative gift. Despite being without the blemish of sin, Jesus died on the cross to atone for the sins of all mankind. The Bible tells us that our sins are washed away in the blood of the Lamb. This saves us from an eternity of separation from God. Instead, our relationship with God is restored. This is made clear in Paul’s words to the Colossians. Jesus will present us to the Father “holy and blameless and above reproach.” We enter His heavenly presence without so much as an asterisk by our name. We could never do that. Thankfully, Jesus did.

May the love of God displayed throughout creation, and demonstrated by Jesus Christ in our salvation lead us to share the love that God has given us with everyone we encounter, especially our rivals. Let His love guide us in all things that we and others through us can come to that same saving grace.

And one last thought…. Go Blue!

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Celebrating Our Failures

Posted on May 10, 2022 by day1of1

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” – Psalm 73:26

On April 23, 2022, Detroit Tigers Designated Hitter Miguel Cabrera drove a single into right field to collect the 3,000th hit of his illustrious career. Long considered a major achievement in the sport, Cabrera, has become the thirty-third player in major league history to reach this milestone. Thirty-three players having reached this plateau may not seem so exclusive. But when you consider that as of May 1, 2022, there have been 20,042 people to have played Major League Baseball since its beginning in 1876. This means that currently, only .001646 of players have accomplished this (roughly 1 out of every 607 players). This feat will also grow scarcer over the next several years as the next players with a reasonable shot of reaching 3,000 hits don’t yet have 2,000 hits.

Still not impressed? Consider these other feats.

Cabrera is…

…1 of only 7 people to have 3,000 hits and 500 home runs.

…1 of only 3 people to have 3,000 hits, 500 HRs, and 600 doubles.

…1 of only 2 people to have 3,000 hits, 500 HRs, 600 doubles, and a lifetime batting average over .300

…The only player to have 3,000, 500, 600, .300 and to have won a batting triple crown (2012).

I know that I am biased, but I tend to think that’s pretty good.

Photo Credit: https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/news/miguel-cabrera-hits-tracker-tigers-3000-hit-club/emufcftufy98edljnpn0e6il

As a lifelong Tiger fan, I have enjoyed watching this run toward the milestones. I was just a little too young to remember Al Kaline’s 3,000th hit, so this has been pretty cool to watch. I enjoyed the video display the team shared in the half inning after the hit. It was short congratulatory remarks from several other players from the 3,000-hit club. The video I found to be most interesting was shared by George Brett, the great third baseman from the Kansas City Royals from the 70’s and 80’s, who recognized Miggy for two accomplishments. Here’s what Brett said:

“Congratulations on getting No. 3,000. It’s a great club, very happy you joined it. On top of that, though, it’s another great club to be able to say you made 7,000 outs. Congrats, I’ll see you in Cooperstown soon, pal.”

The 7,000-out club? Is that a thing? Why yes, it is! Fifty-five of baseball’s greatest are a part of this unique group, including twenty-six of the members of the 3,000-hit club. It’s crazy but it’s true; the hitters with the greatest levels of success are also those with the greatest levels of failure.

This idea, while strange, makes sense when you think about it. Those players were so good at hitting baseballs that they were given more opportunities to swing over longer careers. This concept holds true to other areas of our lives. High achievers are rewarded with more opportunities to achieve than those who struggle. But nobody is perfect. More often than not, things don’t go the way we hoped or planned and we find ourselves failing. Truly successful people have figured out ways to overcome their failures, to learn from them and to keep pushing toward their goals. Hitters in baseball forget the last pitch and focus solely on what they need to do as they face the next pitch. That ability to accept failure without letting it dominate them is what allows them to perform so well at a task where the very best will fail more than they succeed.

We as Christians face a similar set of circumstances. Imagine if they kept stats on our thoughts, words and deeds in the same way they track baseball statistics. We’d all like to think that we could rank high on the good deeds list. Maybe we are an all-time great at volunteering, donations, or praying for others. These would be wonderful things to which we should aspire, but they only tell a part of the story. Because like a baseball player comparing hits to outs, Christians can compare the moments we follow God’s will to the sins that dominate our lives. I don’t mean to brag, but I think I am on course for a Hall-of-Shame career based on my “Sin Percentage.” Here’s our reality: despite our best efforts, we are sinful. For every accomplishment, we have a multitude of failures. Like baseball players, we can overcome these struggles. Unlike baseball players, we do so without the need for batting practice and spring training.

As a unique creation made in the very image of God, we hold a special place in the heart of our Lord. When sin tainted our hearts, it did nothing to diminish the love that God has for us. He immediately set into place the plan designed to give us forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life. Jesus lived among us as true man. His death and resurrection defeated sin, death, and any power that Satan might try to wield over us. Will we still fail when it comes to sin? Absolutely. Thousands and thousands of times in fact. But for every sin there is forgiveness, and this without ceasing. Consider the words of Psalm 76, where we are reminded that, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” This doesn’t mean that we can live in any way we choose. We still must strive to do God’s will as best we can. However, it does assure us that His love, His mercy, His grace is sufficient to overcome the times when we fail. Our sin no longer defines us. Our record is cleared and our relationship to the Father is restored, and there is no cooler club to join than to be one of God’s redeemed children. May God bless you to live your life in a way that brings glory and honor to His holy name. Live without fear of your failures, knowing that He will sustain you in every circumstance.

Statistics used collected from baseball-reference.com, baseball-almanac.com, and @jaysonst

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Peace on Earth

Posted on December 18, 2021 by day1of1

Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:32-33 (ESV)

On that glorious night in the fields outside of Bethlehem, God chose a most improbable group of people to hear a most important proclamation.

“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

Sounds good, doesn’t it? Having made it through the past 21 months, the mere thought of God declaring a message of good news that will bring joy to us all is very appealing. After all, it is easier to deal with times of struggle when you’re able to look forward and know that there is a promise of better days ahead. I think that’s a big part of what has made dealing with the pandemic and the crises it has created so difficult. It just feels as if there is no end in sight.

So, this year, more than ever, we need that good news.

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

It is truly amazing to think that God’s love for us runs so deeply that He would send His Son into our world to save each one of us from sin. We deserve the death that comes as the consequence of our sinfulness. Thankfully, God has a different plan. Through Jesus’s life, death & resurrection, we have been gifted something we could never accomplish, forgiveness of our sins and a restored relationship with the Father.

“And this will be a sign for you; you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

Say what? We’ll find Him where? He’ll be wearing what? You did say this was the Son of God, right? For us here on earth who understand the lifestyles of kings, this is not how royals are to be born. Where’s the pomp? Where’s the excess, the exquisite accommodations that are afforded to royalty? Leaders like to demonstrate their humility by claiming to be “one of the people.” These sentiments tend to be a lot of bluster without much substance. However, in this case, the only blustery thing about Christ’s birth was the wind passing through the stable where He was born. Jesus our Messiah, true God and true man, here to dwell among us so that He could ultimately save us.

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!’”

There it is. The second most important gift we receive from this message. Nothing compares to forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life. But for now, in this moment, we will take some peace on earth. Life in modern society has left us all tired and frustrated. Every day brings a new slate of challenges, struggles, arguments, and attacks. It’s exhausting. It’s discouraging. It leads many of us to experience physical and emotional depths that can distract us from our work, bring stress into our relationships, as well as take a toll on our health. We all experience these feelings from time to time and to varying degrees, especially around the holidays when so much more is expected of us.

In these moments, it is crucial to remember the words of Christ from John 16. Jesus is speaking to his disciples (and to us) in preparation for his death. In verse 32, He describes what will happen to him after his arrest. The disciples will grow fearful and will hide, choosing to save their own skin over standing with Jesus against His persecutors. As He faces abandonment from His followers, Jesus will know that He is not alone. God the Father will be with Him through it all. Perhaps He said this to reassure Himself, knowing what He was about to face. There is no doubt in my mind that He is speaking to us, equipping us with the certainty that God will never leave us. In fact, Jesus affirms this in the words of verse 33.

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Could there be a better reminder than this? Satan and our sinful world are going to do everything they can to distract us from these words. But distract is all they can do. They have already been defeated. Christ’s bold proclamation is our truth. Through it, we know beyond the shadow of a doubt that we will never be lost, never destroyed. In Christ we find true peace.

It is my solemn prayer that you will feel this peace throughout your celebration of the Savior’s birth. May He strengthen you to face the challenges in your life. May He surround you with believers to support you, angels to protect you, and the Holy Spirit to empower you that you may share this message to others in word and deed this Christmas and throughout the year to come.

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Crying Out Across the Centuries

Posted on January 18, 2021 by day1of1

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. – Romans 12:14-21

Montgomery, Alabama. January 30, 1956.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was attending a mass meeting to maintain support of a bus boycott that had begun nearly two months earlier. On December 5, 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested and charged with violating Montgomery’s city code requiring segregation on buses. In response, the African-American community, led by Dr. King, refused to ride city buses until the law was changed. Weeks of tension between the city leaders and the protestors were about to lead the city to the brink of disaster.

The following excerpt comes from a 1972 essay by Jane Stevenson entitled, “Rosa Parks Wouldn’t Budge.”

“On that night while Dr. King was attending one of the regular mass meetings, a bomb tossed onto the porch of his house exploded seconds later with a shattering roar. Having heard the thud as the missile landed, Mrs. King and a visiting friend had moved quickly toward the rear of the house. They and the Kings’ infant daughter escaped injury. But it looked for a time as if the chief casualty of the night would be the concept of nonviolence…

Rushing home, King found an angry crowd milling on his lawn. As he stepped from his car, he heard one black man offer to shoot it out with a white policeman who was trying to push him back… The mood of the crowd was so hostile that all of them later reported having felt that a race riot was a distinct and immediate possibility.

Dr. King went into his house, assured himself that his family was all right, and then came back to speak to the crowd. His voice was unusually quiet, and everyone else stopped speaking or moving, to listen.

‘My wife and baby are all right,’ he told them. ‘I want you to go home an put down your weapons. We cannot solve this problem through retaliatory violence… We must love our white brothers no matter what they do to us. We must make them know that we love them. Jesus still cries out across the centuries, Love your enemies. This is what we must live by…’

It was another miracle of oratory… simply, at his request, the crowd began to melt away, and with it, the tension.”

Photo credit: https://pressfrom.info/us/news/us/-639436-after-mlk-s-home-was-bombed-he-refused-to-back-down-this-movement-will-not-stop.html

When I reflect on Dr. King and his many contributions to society, this story always comes to mind. Amid a personal attack designed to do great harm to him and his family, he had the strength to seek out God’s will in the situation. Dr. King set aside the fear and anger he must have been feeling to share a message of peace derived from Jesus’ command for us to love our enemies. It was a remarkable response that kept his nonviolent movement focused on the bigger picture, one which would ultimately have its day. On November 13, after nearly a year of ride shares and walking, the United States Supreme Court declared Alabama’s bus segregation laws unconstitutional.

It is easy to see the comparisons between the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the events that have impacted life in America over the past several months. Racial and political tensions have created a dangerously deep divide in our country. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be a solution in sight; no oratory masterpiece to calm us, no group to unite us, no court ruling to settle things for us. In fact, you could claim that we have all but abandoned the ideal that we are, “one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

How do we restore a sense of peace and order to our society? It is only my opinion, but I think that we too must heed the words of Dr. King from that January night so many years ago. “Jesus still cries out across the centuries, ‘Love your enemies.’”

Why is this so important? We are sinful. Our actions are spiteful, based on arrogance, intolerance, and a hatred of others and their ideas. We consider our own thoughts to be exclusively correct and we are willing to say and do incredibly hurtful things to oppress those with whom we disagree. Our minds are fixed. Our ears are closed. Our hearts are hardened. Faced with this sobering truth, we can only turn to the outstretched arms of Christ to save us from the evil world we have helped create through our sin.

Thankfully, Jesus knows our sinful condition. As true man, He experienced hatred and violence firsthand. As true God, He provided us a model of how we must look directly into the face of hate with love by forgiving those who harm us – even if they do not want it or deserve it. Remember, it was Jesus, who while being crucified, asked God to forgive those people who were responsible for whipping, beating, mocking, and executing Him. If the Son of God can speak peaceful words of forgiveness from the cross, we too must be able to find words of peace that we can share with our brothers and sisters in Christ on earth.

Jesus has given us this great, undeserved gift of forgiveness. By His redeeming death and resurrection, we have had our relationship with the Father restored and by the work of the Holy Spirit, we will be with God for eternity in heaven. Until the day that Jesus leads us home, may we let Him lead us to share the gift of love with others who desperately need to feel it. Pray that our lives can reflect His love, and when our sinfulness overtakes us, allow us to seek forgiveness and make amends so that others would see Christ’s love at work in us.

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