With a performance-based career, such as professional baseball, it’s easy to get caught up in thinking about the short-term — what we’re doing here on earth as our main goal. But I don’t want to get wrapped up in these things because I can’t take any of this with me. I want to make sure I’m using my time and energy, both verbally and nonverbally, to impact people for eternal purposes. I want to use my career in baseball to impact a generation with the Gospel message.

I love it when I get the chance to have a discussion with my teammates about God. Often I want to be able to do more than just have a conversation — to really help them understand who God is — but I’m excited when I get to have these chats, answer any questions they may have about my faith and talk with them about why they believe this or that. We talk, not only so that they can gain my perspective — God’s perspective — but so that I can better understand them and where they come from. When we’re able to sit down with four ears and four eyes, getting to know each other better, we are able to find common ground.

Different moments allow for different conversations about faith in God to pop up. One moment I’ll be working out or hanging out with the guys in the locker room, and the next thing I know God places an opportunity in my life to talk about Him. That’s why I always try to stay on my toes and make sure I’m intentional with every word I’m saying, because it’s not really me speaking at all, the Holy Spirit is the one who gives me the words to say.

“Do not worry about how you will defend yourself or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” — Luke 12:11-12

There will be a day when we all stand before Jesus and make an account for the opportunities He’s given us that we’ve either taken or missed. At that moment, I don’t want to just be the baseball player with all the accolades to his earthly name. Instead, I want to be able to say that I did everything during my life on earth that I possibly could have to impact the Kingdom of God and bring glory to His name.

I don’t want to live a life of comfort or contentment. I want to be the man God created me to be, a reflection of His glory, leading others to a saving faith through Jesus Christ.

— Luke Weaver, Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher

The Increase, part of the Sports Spectrum Network, is a community of Christian pro athletes sharing their personal stories of the decrease of self and the increase of Christ (John 3:30). Visit TheIncrease.com for more stories and videos.