by Rick Furmanek
If you've been a coach or a fan for any length of time, I'm sure you've seen your share of tight games. And most likely you've come across what I call a dangerous player.
I think you know who I'm talking about. You're up by a run and your opponent is down to their last at bat with two outs. The next thing you know they've loaded the bases and the last person you want to see, 'the dangerous player', steps up to the plate. By dangerous I mean a true impact player, one who can, and often does, influence the outcome of a game. You've pitched around him, you've done everything you can to keep him off base, yet eventually, you have to throw to him, and now he hurts you . . . bad. A frozen rope in the gap. Game over.
Remember the last at bat in the movie, "The Natural", perhaps the greatest baseball movie every made? Roy Hobbs, the Knights' most dangerous power hitter comes face to face with the Pirates' most dangerous power pitcher, a lefty . . . "young John Rhodes, the Nebraska farm boy." You know the rest of the story . . . with the final swing of the bat, Roy Hobbs does the damage and the Knights win.
You ask any kid today if they want to be a Roy Hobbs, you'll get the definitive, "YES!" Every boy wants to be that dangerous player for his team, the hitter or pitcher who can influence the outcome of a game, a series, or even a tournament.
As a coach or a parent, if that dangerous player is on your team, you're elated and relieved to have him on your side, but if that dangerous player is on the opposing team, while you might admire his talent, when he faces off against your own team your feelings for the kid aren't quite as warm and generous. In fact, you might find yourself hoping that he will fail in his efforts.
Let's face it, while it might be cool to want to be a dangerous player, what goes with that type of talent isn't the easiest thing to handle. An elite player can be misunderstood to be arrogant and cocky even by his own teammates just because he excels. An elite talent often gets the brunt of the opposing team's focus, good or bad. It's not all fun and games, yet there's still something very special about a dangerous player. While not everyone likes Barry Bonds, when he steps into that batter's box, everyone stops what they're doing and watches.
Here's something to think about . . . did you know that in his day, Jesus Christ was considered by many to be dangerous? The religious fakes, God-ignorers, and God-haters of his day saw him as a threat and an interruption to their way of doing things. Sinners and the down and out saw him as a friend, someone they were glad to have on their side. Christ's life was dangerous because it was invasive.
To put it another way, Jesus was a true impact player. What he did with his life changed the outcome of eternity for many people from every walk of life. And although he would be misunderstood by the masses, maligned by many, and even murdered by a few He still boldly declared truth about himself, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me." That's an impact statement if I've ever heard one. In essence what Jesus did with his life was point to the one true God and provide the way for us to find Him. The God-seekers loved it. Those who didn't want God in their life hated it. Let's face it, Jesus was not a 'middle ground' kind of guy. He was dangerous.
But the story doesn't stop there. Jesus Christ invited anyone opposed to God to change their ways and follow him. Christ's invitation to a radical life-change was not limited to just a few. It was extended to everyone regardless of who they were, where they had been, and what they had done. The only requirement was belief in Christ, who he is and what he did, and a life of repentance. To put it another way, Christ's invitation is to stop what you're doing on your own, and step into what God is already doing for you.
But again, the story doesn't stop there. Did you know that God is still calling today for dangerous players in the grand scheme of life? That's right. He's looking for Christ-followers who are willing to be His impact players in the lives of others. Those who will take the risk of being misunderstood, perhaps even rejected, but will still step up to the plate and swing away. Will it be easy? No, but Christ never promised it would be. Are there risks? Yes. But the benefits of eternal life far outweigh them. Is there really any other choice if I am a follower of Christ? Nope. The call of Christ is to a life of radical change. That's what makes it so dangerous.
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