Hitting the Curve Ball

    
     In baseball, there are a number of different types of pitches fastballs, sliders, screwballs, changeups, and of course the elusive curveball. In youth baseball leagues most pitchers rely on their fastball as their main pitch and a good fastball is often enough, but as pitchers develop and expand their pitching arsenal the curveball is the one that they work to master. Why? Well, a properly placed curveball hit by a batter typically results in a ground out ball that is easily played by the infielders. The key to hitting a ground ball is learning how to go against what visually appears to be the right ball to swing at, and instead figuring out where the not so attractive curveball sweet spot as you swing for the fence. That is a not so easy skill to master as even major league baseball players struggle with hitting a curveball specialist. If our young boys and girls struggle with the whole concept of learning a curveball, and then as professional baseball players they are still struggling with this batter's nightmare, then how is it that batters still experience success on all levels getting singles, doubles, triples, and even the celebrated home runs in their games? The obvious answer is they learn from a batting coach that can see from the outside where the batter is biting at the wrong pitches and teaches them what to look for and how to train and develop their eye to pick out the right curveball to attack. Most assuredly, having a batting coach that knows and understands the curveball is a key asset to a batter's success in conquering the curveballs that are thrown his or her way.
     Many times in life we hear someone say, "Boy, life really threw him a curveball" in describing an out of the blue life event that really changes the trajectory of what a person's normal life looks like. Unexpected diagnosis at a doctor's visit, a downturn in the economy that hits right as your new business opens its doors, or a spouse leaving a note on the kitchen table announcing that they are leaving and won't be coming back. Each of those would qualify as "curveballs" in life, and there are a ton of other personal curveballs you could attest to in your own life. The point is though curveballs are tough to hit in baseball, and in life when we get a curveball pitched our way it is just as difficult to overcome and conquer.
     In our analogy of the progression in learning to hit a curveball I stated that most young players haven't been exposed to curveballs so when they do they rarely experience success. Having to face the unexpected death of a family member is a curveball that we don't come equipped with the ability to face and know how to react or respond. Being faced with a life-changing accident that leaves our health altered isn't in our DNA at birth. A curveball in life is just as elusive to conquer as a baseball curve is, and without proper coaching our success rate on facing those curves is going to be a struggle almost every single time. The good news is we have a coach that is always available to "coach" us up, and His playbook is easily accessible and always available.
     For the person that has a personal faith based relationship with God, life's curveballs are a challenge to conquer, just because we say we believe in God doesn't necessarily equip us for an unexpected, life-changing event in much the same way as saying I'm a baseball player so I should be able to hit a curveball. A life without faith, and trust in that faith, is a life that will struggle to handle the curveballs that life will inevitably throw your way. Capsizing events in life happen and without a "coach" to teach us and show us the way to face them head on, our batting average is going to suffer.
      The words of Jesus are a comfort and encouragement to us as we face life’s curveballs in John 16:33 "In the world you will have much trouble. But take hope! I have power over the world!” Paul, probably one of the Bible's best hitting coaches, tells us "Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ” 1 Corinthians 11:1, and again Paul proclaims what is probably the most encouraging scripture for us as we face life's curveballs in Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me". Without Christ, we will struggle to overcome life's curveballs almost undoubtedly. With God, we are guaranteed to have a coach with us each step we take and every curveball we face, “I will never leave you and I will never abandon you.” Hebrews 13:5. Why face life's challenges alone? Turn to Him and look to Him as you face the curveballs as they come your way.
Coach Carter