Chaplain’s Column

It’s my favorite time of the year. Where I am from, its harvest time on the farm. But better than that, I can watch football and baseball at the same time.

It doesn’t get any better than that. Football is in mid-season and baseball is playing out the post season for who will be in the World Series.

Once again, the Los Angeles Dodgers are playing in the post season for the National League. I am not a Dodger fan, but my father-in-law loved the Dodgers. He was such a fan, that for his 25th wedding anniversary he flew my mother-in-law from North Carolina to Los Angeles to watch a three-game series and eat a “Dodger Dog.”

As I watch baseball this fall, I was reminded of a story my father-in-law told me about a college baseball coach. He was speaking at a coaching clinic and teaching a life lesson to all the coaches assembled there, using a home plate.

This former college coach asked the audience how many Little League coaches were in the room. Of those Little League coaches, he asked how wide is home plate in Little League? As to state the obvious, one of the Little League coaches shouted out “17 inches!” He affirmed the coaches in the audiences with an, “exactly right.”

He then asked how many high school coaches were in the room. Hands shot up all over the room. He asked them the same question. How wide is home plate in high school baseball? After an awkward silence, an uncertain answer of 17 inches came from the back of the room.

The coach followed with the same question, how wide is home plate in college baseball? Those college coaches in the room echoed back 17 inches.

He then asked if there were any minor league coaches present. He said, tell me how wide is home plate in the minors? By now the group in the room was tracking the old coach and in one loud voice, 17 inches. “And in the Majors?” he asked. This time he answered himself, “17 inches!” He now had the room’s attention.

What was he really asking the coaches assembled there in the room?

The baseball coach then asked one final question to the crowd. “What do they do with the big-league pitcher who can’t throw the baseball between theses 17 inches?” Without waiting for a response, the old coach shouted, they send him down or ship him out.

After a long pause the coach said, “they don’t tell that pitcher, if you can’t throw over the 17-inch home plate, that’s okay we will make homeplate 18 inches for you or 19 or 20 inches.” With sarcasm in his voice the coach asked how wide do we need to make it for that pitcher who can’t get it over the plate?

What do we do if the best ball player skips practices, cheats on his exam or violates the drug policies. Do we hold him accountable or do we change the rules to fit him? Do we widen home plate? Holding home plate with the point, pointing upward in the shape of a building with a roof, the old coach turned to the crowd and said “This is the problem in our homes today. We don’t hold each other accountable! With a quivering voice, the coach said we don’t teach accountability in our homes, our marriages, our schools, our churches or our government. We don’t teach accountability to our kids and there are no consequences for not meeting the basic standards. We have widened the plate!”

I have never forgotten the lesson from that baseball coach that my father-in-law shared. There is a scripture that says, “to whom much is given; much is required.” We are blessed. We live in a blessed nation. We are a part of blessed families and communities. Much is expected from us. There is still a right and a wrong. The greatest challenge in leading, is not those we work with or even our children, but leading ourselves.

I believe you are born for purpose. Lead yourself well! Be a person of character! Be accountable. Future generations are depending on you! After all no matter what league you play in, homeplate is still 17 inches.

Step up! The future is bright with hope!