This time of year, baseball becomes a huge part of my family’s life. We are what my husband calls “a baseball family.” I never thought it would be this way. I was never an athlete growing up, and my children did not seem like they would be either. Nevertheless, this is the path that our life has taken. Good thing too, because of all the sports that exist, I love baseball!
So one day I was listening to Tech Talk on the MLB channel with my son (actually, he was watching it and I was doing dishes in the background). The host said something that caught my attention. He said, “There are two kinds of baseball players in the world: those who are humble and those who will be humbled.”
Wow! Those are some powerful words, and I’m pretty sure they don’t just apply to baseball. If you really think about it, there are two kinds of people in the world in general: those who are humble and those who will be humbled.
I’m not sure if the host of Tech Talk knew it, but his words were similar to those of Christ in Matthew 23:12 (NIV) when He said, “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” You see, to come to a saving faith in Christ it takes humility. You have to acknowledge your own wretchedness, your own sinfulness, and your inability to save yourself. Without humility, you cannot truly know God. God “adorns the humble with salvation” (Psalm149:4 ESV). A person who believes they are “all that” won’t truly see their need for God. Even if they may not admit it, they will somehow think they are good enough or smart enough or cunning enough that God will accept them.
God doesn’t accept us on our terms. He only accepts us on His terms. One day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, whether they wanted to on earth or not (cf., Phil.2:10; Romans 14:11; Revelation 5).
There are two kinds of people in this world: those who are humble and those who will be humbled. Which one are you?