What Can You Do?
Recently a powerful story was told by Scott Rolen as he got inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
(I can picture my dad in heaven celebrating as one of his earthly joys was watching Scott play ball. Dad did not miss a game. We were warned not to talk about the Cardinal games until we knew he had watched it. When he walked into the house after going to dinner with friends, we were reminded not to spoil his night by sharing the outcome. He would record great plays and great at bats so when we would come to town, he would show us the skills of the talented kid from Jasper.)
Scott, who was blessed with an abundance of athletic skills, some of which had him at the ER more than any kid I knew due to broken bones and such, delivered a speech in Cooperstown that spoke of a lifelong learning lesson he was given when he was transitioning from high school to the next season of life.
During baseball season Scott was selected as an Indiana All- Star in basketball. The game is played in June. He was not feeling confident in his basketball conditioning. As Scott was sharing his concerns with his father, Ed asked Scott a question. You’ve told me why you can’t do this, now tell me what you can do. Of which Scott replied well I can rebound, play defense etc.… his dad responded,
well do that then!
I am entering a season in which fear is taking over my thoughts. My mind runs on repeat as to what I can’t do. You can’t do this… you can’t do that are stuck, playing over and over, like a skipping record…
Simon Sinek tells us that the negative is unattainable… the example he gives…don’t think of an elephant.
My friend Richard Rohr, who has no idea who I am, wrote in his devotional space yesterday about the idea of starting with the negative.
He used the example of his first few years as a seminarian. The training began with all of the don’ts. Rejecting the worldly distractions with celibacy, poverty, and community were all taught to be accomplished through self-sacrifice, willpower. He calls that poor teaching.
Richard comments . “But what we need isn’t willpower; we need the power to surrender the will and to trust what is.”
Mary’s ‘Fiat’ comes to mind… say yes and then follow Him.
“What can you do?”
Instead of seeing what feels hard, what feels unattainable, what feels beyond our strength, let’s name what we can do and trust God in the rest. Let Him make up for when we are out of basketball shape, let Him choose how many books will be read, let Him provide the funding, let Him remove our fears because seriously we don’t have much control over anything anyway, but we do know the One who does!
My husband and I went to that Allstar game some 30 years ago and enjoyed every single moment that Scott played. We didn’t know he wasn’t shooting well. (My mind recalls Scott as one of the best players on the court… of course I may be just a tad bias). We didn’t know his legs were conditioned for baseball and the basketball legs had been set aside. We just enjoyed watching this kid who I watched grow up do what he loves.
Thank you Ed for your advice that gave Scott the courage needed not only to perform in that game but to perform in life. Scott provided a lot of fun for any fan who followed him from the Phillies to the Reds and all teams in between. St Louis fans who celebrated winning the World Series have not stopped. And now so many years later, thank you for your wisdom that feels like a personal message that I need to apply today!
God Bless the Rolen family in all that they do!
Stay Blessed, Ya’all!