Column by Bro. Terry Ivy
“For all have sinned…” (Romans 3:23) The Gospel message begins with “all have sinned,” and it ends with “forgiveness in Jesus Christ.” Young and old bump into the former, and those who turn to Christ discover the latter. Here is a true story that illustrates this.
In the summer of 1971, I was a nine-year-old boy visiting my maternal grandparents. They lived on the Southside of Meridian, only a few blocks from the old Village Fair Mall. It was a different time then, and children were allowed to roam and venture off without parents worrying about their safety.
To the immediate north of the mall was a little league baseball field. It was the most perfectly manicured field I had ever seen. To my youthful eyes, it was as beautiful as Wrigley Field with its lush infield grass and outfield. I was only used backyards with wild bahia grass and cow pastures.
At nine years of age, it would be another year before I would be old enough to play Little League. One day while walking to the mall, I noticed a game being played at this immaculate field. The teams were decked out in fancy uniforms and cleats—a long way from the cut-off jeans and tennis shoes I was familiar with. A crowd was gathering as the teams warmed up. Big-eyed and curious, I walked behind the team that looked like the St. Louis Cardinals. The coach had his team on the field taking warm-up practice; therefore, no one was near the dugout. Beside the entrance gate to the dugout was a box of new baseballs sitting on the ground.
Then it happened. With a quick thought and even quicker action, I violated my Mom and Dad's code of conduct. I reached down, grabbed one of the new baseballs, and left. Unseen by everyone but God, I returned to my grandparents' house and found a way to hide the baseball in my suitcase. Dad always disliked liars and thieves, saying they were first cousins, and I knew that if he found out that I stole the baseball, I would experience the working end of a leather belt.
After returning home, I hid the baseball in the very back of Mom’s kitchen cabinets, just to the left of the can of flour she always used to make homemade biscuits. I planned on using the ball ONLY when they were not home for fear of them asking me where I got it. I felt very uneasy and ashamed, even though my parents never knew I had stolen the baseball. The Lord was constantly pricking my heart for swiping it.
I slowly forgot about the baseball, as other sins grew larger than stealing a baseball. I never brought it out to play. However, I knew what guilt before God felt like because of this Little League baseball. Mom and Dad never discovered where the ball came from and never knew why there was a ball under the cabinet.
A couple of weeks ago, in January 2022, Mom’s kitchen sink was leaking. I crawled down under her sink, removing the large can of flour she has used since Noah’s Ark, and worked on the leaking drain. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw it! It was still waiting for that nine-year-old boy to use—it had been waiting for over a half-century.
I reached up and retrieved it, pulling it to myself. As I did, the events of that summer day of 1971 came crashing in as fresh as the morning dew. It is amazing how time can move on from the past, but the Holy Spirit can make it as ‘present’ as a fresh flower. I finally owned up and told Mom the story of that day, and I brought the baseball home with me. I have it on one of my many shelves of books in my study.
The baseball is now a reminder of God’s mercy and grace toward me. It is new but old. It has never been used to play ball with little boys, but it was used by God to play conviction upon my heart. I’m considering writing Romans 3:23 upon it for a reminder of my constant need for God's grace. This baseball introduced me to sin and was the beginning of a journey that ended in repentance and faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Quietly, this baseball has rested in a dark spot. However, the Lord knew that fifty-one years later, it would remind me of the power of the voice of conviction that would be a part of leading me to fellowship with Christ. From a rebel to a redeemed son, my journey with the Lord has been filled with reminders of God’s long-suffering and mercy.
I don’t know if Heaven pays attention to or cares about sporting events and athletic competitions. However, I am aware that the eyes of God were watching… A boy, a baseball, and Jesus!
