Articles
Lessons from the Park
Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. (2 Thes. 2:15—NKJV)
Last week, a group of guys from church went to a Cincinnati Reds game together. I don’t go to many games at all; a couple years ago I went with Eric to one, but before that I probably hadn’t watched a MLB game in the stadium in perhaps a couple of decades. Would you believe that all of the old traditions I remember about going to the ballpark as a kid were still being kept? Of course, the high definition jumbo-tron and the t-shirt cannon are new, but so much about the experience hasn’t changed. The irony struck me that many of the complaints made by people today about traditional worship could also be said about going to an American ballpark, yet no one seems to care when it’s about the traditions of America’s pastime. There are a few similar lessons I thought of from my time at the park. (Perhaps if the Reds had more than two hits I wouldn’t have had time for such contemplations.)
I love singing new songs as much as anybody, but some complain about the same old songs being sung in worship. Did you know that the 1908 hit, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” was first sung at a game in 1934. It became associated with the “7th inning stretch” (another time-honored baseball tradition) in 1946, and by 1976 the tradition was established. Also, there is one particular song that is sung before every game, and if it weren’t, there’d be trouble to pay. Why is it that at the ball park we love to have it this way, but some see it as a cause for complaining in the assembly of the saints? (Please note, this is not an endorsement of singing familiar old songs, slowly.)
Speaking of the 7th inning stretch, the popular origin story states that this began in 1910 when, out of respect to President William Howard Taft who stood for a stretch in the 7th inning of a game, was joined by the crowd, and thus a tradition was born. Imagine, doing something a certain way because that’s what those who have gone before us did. Of course, there is nothing that binds us to the methodology of previous generations unless we’re talking about traditions handed down by the apostles (2 Thes. 2:14-15). But, the 7th inning stretch story (if true) reminds me of the Rechabites (in Jeremiah) who were praised by God for their willingness to abide by the example of their father throughout their generations, when Israel would not acknowledge nor follow their God. I speak strongly against doing things the way we’ve always done them for that reason alone when I believe a better way is available. But, there is also something to be said about the importance of having humility to admit that perhaps there is some wisdom in the previous generation’s way of doing things. Shall I press for a 6th inning stretch just to be different. Nope, 7th is just fine by me. No need to change for change sake.
And then there’s the wave. What is it about the wave that people just won’t let it die? Truth be told, I thought it was the coolest thing as a kid, but now that I’m a grown-up, I’ll be honest, my participation in the wave was sporadic and unenthusiastic at best. For some reason, it kept getting to my section and dying. Clearly, I’m not the only one disinterested in the wave. But, do you know what? Those who wanted the wave to make it’s way around the stadium kept on trying, and eventually it caught on and was successful. Not everyone participates in the church’s work either. I suppose I could get negative and critical about all the people who don’t participate in a work, or I could just focus on myself, work with those whom are willing to participate, and keep on being an example until others join me. Interestingly enough, what finally made the wave successful last week was when they added some noise to it to get people’s attention. Funny how just a minor tweak can oil the machinery and get people excited to work.
Spectators often bring their own gloves in hopes that someone will launch one over the fence and into their glove. In a crowd of thousands (or tens of thousands), recovering a home-run ball is very unlikely. However, if someone were to beat those odds and end up with their very own game ball, it is very likely that that ball would be chucked back onto the field if it happened to come from the bat of their team’s opponent. Loyalty is never sacrificed for a souvenir, and that’s how it should be. The church also needs members whose hearts are loyal to one another and to the Lord their God. Have you ever heard of members running down a church or some other members online or gossiping behind the back? That’s not the kind of team loyalty the church needs. In baseball, you can take a fastball to the kidney for disrespecting someone’s teammate. Although our methods should probably be different, maybe we have something to learn about being a team from these guys.
There’s always plenty of reasons not to come to worship...or the game.
It can be kind of a hassle to get there. You got to get dressed in your special clothes, drive all the way down there, fight traffic, find a parking spot, get to your seat, only to find that someone else is sitting in your seat. Not only that, but sometimes people don’t come like they should. They’ve got season tickets and they still don’t come, fair-weather fans as we call them. They can be so discouraging. Some of these same people give up on their team so easily, at the first sign of a problem. Also, they often don’t stay to the end like the rest of us. Look at all the people who did stay for class though. Look at those who did work late and are still here. Be encouraged by the fact that those visitors who took your seat are worshiping on vacation. It’s all a matter of perspective.
