We are in the midst of the playoffs for Major League Baseball. I love this time of the year.
Beyond any doubt, Willie Mays was one of the greatest to ever play baseball. He had a batting average of .302 over 22 seasons. For eight years in a row he drove in more than 100 runs. He hit 660 home runs; third on the all-time list. He was the first to steal 300 bases and hit 300 home runs. Defensively, he had 7,095 putouts, the most in major-league history for an outfielder. Twelve times he won the Gold Glove award.
In 1951, Willie Mays was 20 years old. He was having a tremendous year playing baseball for the New York Giants triple-A team, the Minneapolis Millers. Leo Durocher, the manager of the New York Giants, summoned Willie to New York to the big leagues.
But it didn’t go well. For his first 12 times at bat, Willie went hitless. Finally, he hit a home run off Warren Spahn, but then he went back into his hitting slump. He was 1 for 26 when Leo Durocher found him one day crying in the dugout. He looked up and said, "Mr. Durocher, I can't hit up here."
His manager said, "Listen, as long as I'm the manager of the Giants, you are my center fielder."
The pressure was now off and Willie Mays got two hits the next day. He was off to becoming one of the greatest.
Are you in a slump right now? Are things not working out as you had dreamed? Do you feel like sitting in the dugout and crying?
I’m so thankful that as Willie Mays had someone who believed in him, we also have Someone who believes in us. Scripture tells us our Creator encourages us and lifts us up. The Apostle Paul affirmed, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)
Are you in a slump? Don't despair. With God's help, a hitting streak might be right around the corner for you!