“If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell”  – Matthew 5:29-30

By Any Means Necessary

In the last 10-15 years, there has been a dramatic shift in the way baseball is analyzed. At one time, a batter’s value was solely based on a few statistics, most notably batting average, home runs, and runs batted in. Recently, on-base-percentage and OPS are priorities in front offices more so than the aforementioned, older statistics. Scouts and general managers look for players who get on base. Don’t make an out. Just get on base.

A walk, a hit, an error, a hit-by-pitch, anything. It doesn’t matter how. It just needs to get done. By any means possible.

When it comes to our battle against sin, it must be defeated. When we are desperate enough to repent, we must also be willing to give up parts of our lives that lead us into temptation. We must be ready to lose our right eye or right hand. We must be ready to lose what we value now in this vanishing life for what will matter for eternity.

Some things we give up have the potential to dramatically alter the course of our lives and our families’ futures. But if the result is deliverance and salvation, is it not worth it? Remember, our goal is heaven and to be with our God and Father forever.

Move, change jobs, go back to a flip phone, delete a social media account, block a number, anything. It doesn’t matter how. It just needs to get done. By any means possible.

–Daniel Matthews

PHOTO COURTESEY: Eugene Kim