Good Friends Are Like a Good Bullpen

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.  ~Bob Lemon, 1981

There’s a country music song that says, on a rainy day, when you’re stuck way out in the middle of nowhere—you’ll find out who your friends are.  When we’re in a bind, we don’t need a friend that will flatter us, or one that’ll be the life of the party, we need one that we can depend on. 

In baseball some pitchers want to be the ‘lone ranger’ and pitch through the game’s 9 inning-entirety.  Perhaps it’s sometimes their personal pride pushing them past both fatigue and pain, so that they can say they did it alone. 

Friendships are much like baseball in the sense that people need reliable friends like a starting pitcher needs a bullpen of relief pitchers that will come in and not only him win, but the team win.  Relief pitchers aren’t perfect like we aren’t perfect, and sometimes they come in and botch the game, but they’re always there ready to help.

As the Body of Christ, we are a team.  Some might aspire more for personal accolades, but ultimately the Golden Rule will get us further: We treat people the way we want to be treated.  As Christians we take it once step further: If we are the hands, feet, and mouth of Christ—we aim to treat people the way Christ would treat them. 

What if we intentionally treat not only our family and friends, but everyone we meet this way?  Think about what kind of testimony this would be for Christ.  

Galatians 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (NIV)