Meeting on the Pitcher’s Mound

Is spiritual perfection possible? Can we live a life where 100% of our thoughts, words, actions, and our inactions for that which we should be doing, never miss the mark? The meaning of the word ‘sin’ is missing the mark. To borrow a reference from baseball, spiritual perfection would mean we never miss the strike zone. We always throw strikes. 

There is a feat in baseball that is rarely seen, a pitcher throwing a perfect game. This would mean, in a single game, there were no hits and no walks. In the history of Major League Baseball, a perfect game only happens once every seven years. 

But by definition, a perfect game doesn’t mean the pitcher only threw strikes. It allows for there to be balls thrown, foul balls hit, and fair hits to be made where the fielders either make a catch or throw out the runner at first base. 

A real perfect game, where the pitcher only throws 81 pitches to 27 batters in 9 innings,  and they are all strikes, has never happened in Major League Baseball history. Other than Jesus Christ, no one has lived a perfect spiritual life where they always hit the mark. 

Have you ever felt like you needed an adjusted definition for spiritual perfection? It may be hard to admit. God has a plan for the less than perfect (which is all of us). He has given us an advocate. 

“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1-2).

The verses above were written to Christians in the first century who were just like us. Like all of us, they too were less than perfect. We are encouraged to know that we have an advocate between us and God the Father, Jesus Christ. Through Him we receive God’s grace!

The word advocate has many synonyms. Imagine how Jesus represents each of the following for you when you have lived short of perfection. He is a support, champion, backer, friend, booster, defender, guardian, white knight, protector, fan, vindicator, ally, cheerleader, companion, savior, counselor and witness.  

Even though Jesus lived without sin, He relates to us. He knows what we are up against when we face temptation. We read in Hebrews 4:15

 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” 

Back to the baseball analogy, there is the moment in the game when a pitcher has just thrown a ball that was easy to hit, and the batter crushes it over the fence for a home run. The pitcher is dejected. The manager calls a time out and walks to the pitcher’s mound. Within seconds, the catcher and all of the infielders gather around the pitcher with the manager. 

Have you ever wondered what they talk about? It goes something like this. “Yes you didn’t throw the best pitch there. You gave the enemy an easy one to hit out of the park. Let’s refocus. Look at the scoreboard. The game is not over. We just need to get this next out and then we are up to bat. We are with you. You can do this. Keep pitching!”

If you are mourning your most recent lack of spiritual perfection, Jesus has something to say to you.

“I am with you. You can do this. Keep pitching.”