Greatness

Shohei Ohtani plays major league baseball. He is better than most…some think better than everyone, ever.

His fastball clocks in at over 100 mph. Then, the next pitch is a wicked 68 mph curveball. That’s over 32 mph of difference between the 2 pitches! This wrecks most hitters’ timing. We don’t even want to talk about his splitter.

And, as if this isn’t enough…

He hits homeruns too!

He is arguably THE MOST outstanding player since Babe Ruth.

Miguel Cabrera has been in the MLB since 2003. He is one of THE best hitters in history.

An epic matchup occurred… Miguel had 499 homeruns and Shohei was on the mound. 500 homeruns is the holy grail for big league power hitters. At the time, only 28 hitters had accomplished this in the over 150-year history of the league. Miguel needed one more HR to reach the pinnacle.

Shohei pitched well and Miguel would have to wait for another day to get #500.

After the game, Shohei was asked if he tried a little harder because he didn’t want Cabrera going into the record books with him on the mound.

His response…

“Miguel’s obviously one of the best hitters of all time and he’s also a great person. I would have been ok with giving it up, and I hope he does it sooner than later.”

You can’t help but smile at this.

“I do my best and I hope that he does his best. If I give up the hit, good for him. I don’t need him to perform poorly to make me feel better about myself. I want us both to be great.”

I want to be great. I admit it. I work hard. I do the right thing (most of the time), and I generally think of myself as being “deserving.”

There are several instances in the Bible where people came to Jesus wanting to be great…to be first. Jesus had the same thing to say in each instance.

“Anyone who wants to be great/first must put themselves into last place and be the biggest servant of all.” Mark 9:35

Jesus says, “If you want to be first, see others as more important than yourself. You will be first when you purposefully put yourself in last position and be the biggest server of all.”

There is a recent move in business known as “leading from the rear.” This is NOT new! Jesus, the best leader ever, taught this as THE leadership principle.

Stop right now and look closely at yourself.

Are you leading from the front or from the back? Do you “see” yourself as more important than others, or are you purposefully “making yourself” last and serving everyone?

Everyone leads someone. How are you going to lead your family, your kids, your office? From the front or rear?

Ask the best leader ever for help. He knows you and He WILL help when you ask!

Jesus – GREATNESS personified

You have been prayed for today.