don't count God out

his dream was to make the college baseball team. he felt like God had led him to this particular school. but he was a little smaller than the others. and the coach usually picked bigger boys.

sometimes coaches (and this world) define bigger as better. 

bigger as stronger, faster, more talent.

but coaches are human and the world rarely gets things right.

the boy was strong and fast and talented but it wasn't enough. he didn't make the team.

and so it seemed the boy was overlooked.

bypassed.

rejected.

it seemed as if he was through. it seemed as if the world had taken a look and counted him out.

but the boy breathed baseball. his heart beat for the love of the game. and more than baseball the boy  breathed God. and the God that he lived for wasn't phased at all by what it seemed in this world.

so his dream didn't die with the rejection.

his hope didn't die in the disappointment.

he worked harder. showed up to practices anyway.  the coach let him work out with the team. he caught balls in the bullpen. he helped take care of the field. if there was a need, he filled it.

he didn't get to play, but he got to be there.

and though it wasn't everything, it was something. and he was willing to take the something he could get.

towards the end of the season the coach couldn't ignore the boy's heart. he put him on the roster. gave him a uniform. let him go in for part of the game.

what should have never happened...happened...because the boy never gave up. he never let the world define who he was. he never stopped believing that God had a purpose for him being there. though he couldn't see it, he could feel it. and so he stayed.

the second season was more of the same. doing whatever it took. filling in where needed. getting to play a little. getting to sit on the bench a lot. and though his heart still beat for the love of the game, it was harder now. the doubts crept in. the wondering if he really was where he was supposed to be. though his teammates loved him, he struggled to feel like he was one of them. 

somehow he felt different. 

separated. 

unusual. 

but he was never meant to be one of them. he was never meant to feel like he fit in. 

he was born to be different. 

he was born to be unusual. 

he was born to be set apart from the crowd.

those who met him knew that. those who got to be a part of his life saw it.  felt it. lived it through him.

though baseball was his dream, God was his life. and though he struggled, he kept his heart focused on Him. 

and through that focus others saw Christ. others saw what it meant to live for Him. 

to believe in Him. 

to trust in Him.

he went on to a bigger college. played every game. broke school records. made amazing plays. despite being bypassed, rejected and overlooked, his dream of playing baseball still came true. 

because God had a bigger message. God had a bigger plan.

though he once had been counted out, the boy was exactly where he was supposed to be each step of the way. 

because it was never about the game. 

it was never about the talent. 

it was never about who was bigger or stronger or faster.

it was always about the truth. 

and the truth is the boy gave glory and honor to God even when his dreams weren't coming true.

despite what the world said, despite how it looked, the boy let his heart lead the way. 

and in doing so, he led others to believe in a God of the impossible. 

a God that could get them past rejection. 

a God that could overcome disappointment.

though the boy's heart will always beat for the love of baseball, his true destiny will always be to lead others to the love of Christ. 

because he knows...he's always known...that it's better than any game he'll ever play.