God's Coaching #278

God's Coaching #278

Billy Martin was certainly not the biggest name on the New York Yankees 1953 World Series team. Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, and Whitey Ford were more well known then and now. However, the five-foot-eleven-inch second baseman made the biggest impact against the Brooklyn Dodgers as the Yankees won their fifth-straight world championship.

In the first game of the series, Billy smacked a triple with the bases loaded and added three more hits in a 9–5 Yankee victory. He hit a home run in the Yankees’ 4–2 victory in game two. After the Yankees lost the next two games, Billy had another home run in an 11–7 victory in game five. And on this day in 1953, Billy came to the plate in the ninth inning with runners on first and second. He promptly smacked a single to center field to win the World Series and set off a huge celebration in Yankee Stadium. Billy was named the most valuable player due to his 12 hits—a World Series record!

What’s the Score?

Billy didn’t impress opposing teams with his size or strength. But with his competitive spirit and will to win, the 160-pound baseball player struck fear in opponents. No matter what the situation, Billy faced it without fear. He seemed to rise to any challenge.

In the Bible, the Israelites faced a huge challenge. They had left Egypt to travel to God’s Promised Land. However, when 12 spies went to look at the land, they came back with a frightening report. Sure, the land flowed with milk and honey, but there were giants in the land. Ten of the spies said the people were too big and the cities too strong to overcome. But Caleb and Joshua trusted God to come through on his promise. Caleb even shouted, “Let’s go at once to take the land. . . . We can certainly conquer it!” (Numbers 13:30). Caleb showed courage in the face of a challenge. He knew God’s people would win.

On the Ball

The next time you face a huge challenge in your life, think about Caleb’s words. You can read the whole story in Numbers 13. When challenges come your way, tackle them head-on with courage and without fear.

Coach’s Comment

Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!” Numbers 13:30