There’s Nothing Like It

There’s Nothing like It

Winning a Little League championship was one of the best experiences I had while coaching my sons’ baseball teams. I’ve only won one, but I’ll never forget it. That season was machine-pitch baseball, and the boys were in second and third grade. I have a picture in my office of the moment, just after the championship game, when as a team, we gathered under the scoreboard with locked arms and big smiles on our faces. The scoreboard read, “Visitor 17, Home 12.”

That season was one of ups and downs. I had some really talented players who came together at just the right time for us to go on a run. I had solid players who stepped up and contributed to keep the momentum going. But I also had a few players on that team who had significant behavioral issues, and I wasn’t sure that they would get to stay on the team. My patience was tried like never before. One of the lowest episodes was when an opposing coach shot his middle finger at me and my assistant coach, in front of all the kids.

That season had drama that caused me to shake my head in frustration and disgust and say, “There’s nothing like it.” Then there were a few moments leading up to and including the championship where I said to myself, “You know, there’s nothing like it.”

It reminds me of the local church, who when sick and struggling is the least attractive of all entities on the planet. Truly, there is nothing like it. But when the church is strong and healthy and functioning as she is supposed to, I also confess, “There’s nothing like it!” No church is perfect, just as no team or season is perfect. But when she is working right, it is the most beautiful entity on the earth. May we never lose sight of Ephesians 3:21, which states, “Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.”

Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:21