After last night’s unbelievable World Series Game 6 I am taking a break from my reflections on Eugene Peterson’s book to comment on an interesting insight I heard after the game.
During the post game show they interviewed Lance Berkman, right fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. The reporter asked him the typical inane question, “Before you hit that single to tie the game in 10th, what were you thinking, what was going through your head?” Berkman responded (my paraphrase), “Nothing and that was the key. Sometimes it’s better not to think. If I think too much I might be more tight. My goal was to make the best of this at-bat.”
This was one of the more unique answers I have ever heard to this question. In addition to thinking about the excitement of the game I keep pondering his point. At the risk of over-thinking the situation he chose to “be” in the moment, rely on his set of skills and to have peace in what he already knew.
I am all for thinking. I love to learn, I have a graduate degree and as a pastor I want to be faithful in offering our youth/adults the skills to critically think through their faith. This being said, Berkman is right. There is a time to quit thinking and act on what we know, being confident and bold in whom God has created to be. Being in the moment, trusting in God and moving forward in faith is where we are called to be.
During the game, as Lance Berkman came to the plate, I remember thinking how glad I was to not be him. Nobody wants to make the last out of the World Series. He re-framed the whole situation.
I have a lot of “at-bats” left in my life. I will try to take them one at a time.
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