“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” — 2 Timothy 3:16
The Veteran Coach
There is video making the rounds with the heading, “If you don’t like baseball, you will after this.” It’s a clip from a recent preseason game between the Dodgers and Angels, and features the Dodgers third base coach mic’d up and talking with the broadcasters in the booth. Dino Ebel, whose career spans more than 35 years in baseball, just talks about the game as he sees it. He has incredible insight. He shares his knowledge and stories about the game he loves. This little clip somehow blurs the lines between what you see happening and the strategy of the game.
Ebel demonstrates why he is where he is, and why he’s such a respected part of the sport. He knows everything about how to get a player home. In many ways, he’s what all of us need in our lives — a person standing in that crucial spot and guiding us when to go and when to stop. A person who comes up behind us giving the wisdom to know what to expect as life unfolds. A person who is there cheering and waving like crazy when it gets good.
This reminded me of 2 Timothy 3:16. This verse shows us that the Bible is our “veteran coach.” The Apostle Paul is coaching his young apprentice, who’s not a rookie any more. Paul knows he’s not going to be around much longer and points to the Bible as the thing Timothy is going to need to “coach” him in the future.
The verse says the Bible is there for teaching. That’s like Ebel telling the players what to do next, based on his years of experience. It’s there for rebuking and correcting. That would be like Ebel telling the players when to stop and go. The “training in righteousness” is what happens in between the games. The coaches go over with the players what went right, and what needs to happen next time.
Fortunately, God has “breathed” His guidance for us. He has given us the coach, but we have to listen and do what the coach says. Start today by taking some time to read the Bible. You can even download a free app for your phone. Make sure you really listen to the words and do what it says.
— Jeff Chaves (jeffchaves.com)
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