Baseball Game of Life

One of the advantages of living in Omaha, Nebraska is the opportunity to attend the NCAA College World Series. (Omaha is a great place to live. I know you think snow and cold weather. But this city of over 800,000 is a wonderful place!) Someone generously gave me four tickets to see the Tulane/Oregon State game. It was a pretty good game with good defense and the outcome in doubt to the very end.
I happened to be sitting next the crowd from Tulane. Let me set this up. The left field line is 332 feet from home plate. I was in Section T, Row 20. The Tulane group is in the next section (Section U) farther away from home plate. The section is on the third base side almost to the left field line, 332 feet away. Plus, there is a guy sitting up behind my left shoulder probably another 10 rows or so. So, in other words, he's a loooooong way from home plate. Obviously, if you know baseball, you know that the home plate umpire is directly behind the catcher. Nearly the whole game, especially when it reached a crucial part of the game, this guy behind me would yell at the umpire. First of all, there is no way in this good earth that the umpire could even hear him. Second, the amusing thing was what he was yelling about. Every pitch, "C'mon ump! Give us a break. That wasn't a strike! C'mon blue! Help us out here! AGGGGHHHHHH! I can't believe it, ump!" I made a comment to my wife and son that that guy must have a real tough time at work having to deal with all of those around him who can't understand his, perfect, eagle-eye vision.
We do the same thing. We complain about certain people. They just don't do things right. We just can't believe they would do something that stupid. We stand in left field, not even close to the situation, and we make judgment calls. Jesus talked about that when He said, "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults--unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious ot the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor." (Matthew 7:1-5, The Message) Do you think the Tulane fan in left field would listen to this? Nah. But I can. So can you. Have a great day. JW