Stepping Up to the Plate and Taking Initiative

(In honor of October baseball happening and the World Series approaching!)

If you’ve ever played baseball, you know you can’t score runs sitting in the dugout, and you can’t win games if nobody steps up to the plate. The same is true for the game of life. From the beginning, God has called men to lead, serve, and take responsibility. If you want to help your team, whether it be your family, your company, or your church, you can’t sit back and wait for someone else to make the first move. At some point, you have to step up to the plate!

1. Get Out of the Dugout
   You’ll never make a play if you spend the whole game sitting on the bench. James 1:22 reminds us to “be doers of the Word, not hearers only.” Don’t wait until you feel qualified, comfortable, or completely ready to lead. The time is now! Start praying and reading the Word with your family, serve in your local church, and take initiative at your workplace to get the ball rolling on projects that have been sitting in the queue for months.
2.  Be Willing to Bunt or Hit a Sacrifice Fly For Your Team
   As much as we want to always hit home runs, the most helpful thing you can often do is lay down a bunt or hit a sac fly to help your team. If you want to be a man that walks with Christ and leads well, you have to put aside your own preferences for the sake of others. Philippians 2:3–4 calls us to “consider others more significant than ourselves.” Whether serving your wife, investing in your kids, or helping a coworker: the biggest win always comes from putting your team first.
3. Keep Your Eye on the Ball
   A batter who takes his eye off the ball will have a hard time making contact. Men must steward what God has entrusted to them well and keep an eye out for the wild pitches that the enemy and life will throw at us. 1 Corinthians 16:13–14 calls us to “be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, and do everything in love.” Keep your eyes on the Lord, lead your family with intentionality, and love your neighbor faithfully.
4. Call Off and Catch What Flies Your Way
   When a fly ball comes your way, somebody has to call it or else an error is bound to occur, and it can cost your team the game. Song of Solomon 2:15 warns us to catch the “little foxes that spoil the vines,” reminding us that small problems can cause significant damage in the long run if we do not tend to them. Don’t ignore the little things in your marriage, what is happening in your children’s life, or the things at your workplace that need careful attention. Step up, address issues before they grow, and keep your team on track.

The game of life is underway, and God has given you a position to play. You don’t have to hit a home run every time, but you do need to step up to the plate. Submit to the authority of the best coach around, Jesus Christ, take a swing, and see where He takes you. Batter up!