Many of you may have heard this story. I think in these desperate times we are in we could use a “pick-me-up”, a heart-warming moment. I think that is the purpose for these blogs.

Shay was a young boy with developmental challenges (handicapped). He was walking with his dad past a baseball field. He asked his father, “Do you think they’ll let me play?” Shay’s father knew that most of the boys wouldn’t want someone like Shay on their team, but he also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others despite his handicaps.

Shay’s father approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, “we’re losing by eight runs in the sixth inning, so I guess we can put him to bat in the ninth inning”. They gave him a team shirt; he never felt so proud. The boys saw the fathers’ moist eyes and the joy on his face.

Top of the eighth, down by two. Shay put on a glove and trotted out to right field. No action for him, but he was ecstatic. His father waved from the stands and cheered.

Bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, two outs. Shay was scheduled to be up. Now comes the CHOICE:  Let him bat and relinquish any chance of victory? Shocker: they let him bat. Shay didn’t even know how to hold the bat. However, as Shay came to the plate, the pitcher, realizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay’s life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball softly in the hopes that Shay might make contact. First pitch: clumsy swing and a miss. The pitcher moved even closer. Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow grounder right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over.

Except…the pitcher fielded the ball, threw it way over the first baseman’s head. Everyone watching yelled, “Run!!”. Never in his life had Shay run that far, but he made it to first. Again, everyone yelled, “Run!!” He continued awkwardly, rounding second. The right fielder had the ball now. He too, grasping what was happening, threw it way over the third baseman’s head. Now everyone was yelling, “SHAY, SHAY, ALL THE WAY!!!” Shay ran all the way to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team.

“That day”, said the father softly with tears rolling down his face, “the boys from BOTH teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world.” Have a “Shay Day” and give thanks that sometimes God’s unconditional love is shown in others. We get to feel it from Him every day.

Pastor Art