The Company of Foolishly Flawed Saints

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I was a child I wanted to be Lee Majors, the $6,000,000 man… married to Farrah Fawcett. But then I grew up. When I became a young man, I wanted to be Alan Trammell. Not much has changed in the past 25 years…

            I’m not terribly ashamed to admit that as a child, my heroes were usually found on TV- Moe, Larry, and Curly, the Dukes of Hazard (okay, maybe a little ashamed), but baseball has always been my true love. And so today, I present you the follies and foibles of our contemporary heroes, all of them- at one point or the other, played within the Tigers system:

            Pitcher Steve Sparks damaged his rotator cuff in Milwaukee a few years back when he, after becoming a little too inspired by a motivational speaker, attempted to tear a telephone book in half with his bare hands.

            Former Tiger David Wells (who himself is part cartoon character, part pitcher) was in an at-home accident when he tripped over a bar stool and fell down smashing a wine bottle while slicing the tendons in his right wrist.

            2006 post-season hero Kenny Rogers dislocated his finger while punching a water cooler.

            Former Tiger farmhand and Lansing native John Smoltz injured himself ironing his shirt. How you might ask? Well… his shirt was still on, and he burned himself.

Catcher Mickey Tettleton went on the disabled list that was officially listed as athlete’s foot. The story is told that he wore his shoes too tight, and it cut off the circulation to his feet and caused nerve damage.

            Current Tiger Joel Zumaya missed some action in the 2006 post-season due to an arm injury that turned out to be a result of playing too much Guitar hero.

            And finally Denny McClain. Who in 1970 claimed he went to sleep one night healthy, and woke up with four broken toes. SI broke the story later that year that the toes were mob related.

            These, people of God, are baseball players. My heroes. The play ball for a living. They make millions of dollars. They travel the country. They are adored by the masses. And they’re just as foolish and as stupid as I am. But nobody is asking me for my autograph (which, by the way, I practiced as a child).

            This is what the first disciples did- early in the history of the Christian church…  they were “praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people”. The first part we can understand much more readily than the next. Praising God is uncomplicated.

By faith, we believe His perfect will, even if we don’t understand it… and we praise Him. By faith, we know all things work together for good, even if we can’t see it… and we praise Him. By faith, we consider ourselves to be in the palm of His hands, even when we don’t feel it… and we praise Him. By faith, we painfully see our sinfulness. By faith, we stand in awe of His holiness. And we praise Him because we stand in the presence of a perfect God. This part is clear... that our relationship with God is at least perfect on one end.

It’s the second relationship that takes work, if for no other reason than we are simply dealing with the foolishly flawed foibles of the saints of God. And it is much more difficult because both ends of this burning candle (this relationship) is damaged.

            Here’s how Luke describes this: They were learning together, in fellowship, breaking bread, praying. They were together. Everyone, he said, was filled with awe. They worshipped, communed, ate together with glad and sincere hearts… and they praised God because of it. But here’s the interesting notation at the end of all this “enjoying the favor of God’s people” stuff, and I quote “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

            Now, I can’t save you, because two wrongs can’t make a right. And it’s hard to think of a guy who wanted to move into the Brady Bunch household so he could go to the Grand Canyon with them as somebody who has the spiritual ability much less the inclination to save you. But God can… through me. And God can… through you. Because the One who is right (in this faith relationship we have) can work through two wrongs to make those two wrongs right.

Got it?

God’s relationship with us saves us. God’s hand heals. Jesus’ blood makes us clean. And God’s amazing work through we less than extraordinary people can make tremendous things happen… like adding to the number daily those who are being saved.

            But it takes work… because me working with you is flawed. And you working with me is blemished. But as long as we seek first the kingdom of God... as long as can ground ourselves first in our relationship with Jesus, then what comes from that can be… in a word… “great”. As in “a great cloud of witnesses”.

            Walk with me, if you will, through this great cloud of witnesses that the bible describes. Heroes of faith, if you will, that are just as foolishly flawed as the rest of us.

            Noah- who by faith built an ark when warned about things unseen. And who by fear built a vineyard and immediately became drunk.

            Abraham- who by faith went to a place which would later be his inheritance- although he had no clue where he was going. And who by fear offered up his wife to another man in an act of cowardly desperation.

            Moses- who by faith chose to be mistreated rather than enjoy the pleasure of sin. And who by fear refused (five times!) the charge of God to follow.

            And Rahab- who by faith  welcomed the spies of the promised land, risking her own life for the sake of God, but who by fear prostituted her own body.

            These, people of God, are saints. My heroes. They heard the call of God. They worked by the movement of the Spirit. They gave up their lives to the will of God. And they’re just as foolish and as stupid as I am.

            We are the company of the foolishly flawed saints of God. And we praise Him for it!