I played Little League for a few years as a kid, and it was fun for me. I loved playing whiffle ball and baseball in the neighborhood, so playing in an organized league was the next step up.
I paid my lumps and had my share of little successes and failures. So, as I said, it was fun – except for one day.
One day, I had brought my own baseball to the game to play catch with. So, after the game, a few of us were using it, until one of the kids decided that it would be his.
Now, this kid was the class bully – even at 9 years old he had a bad rep. But I wasn’t going to let him have it.
We began to tussle over it, you can picture nine year olds, and I was probably going to get my little noggin knocked around a bit. I am not the toughest guy in fistfights, as you might guess.
But just then, all of a sudden, I heard a shout. Down from the hill next to us came my father.
He stepped in between us, pulled us apart, got the ball for me, and sent the other kid away. I was very thankful and proud of my father that day.
So many times in the Gospels, Jesus was cornered in arguments and debates and people who tried to stop His mission. But, up until the Passion, He was freed from all the predicaments.
How did he escape?
His Father freed Him.
“And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.” (Jn 8:29)
If you choose to follow the Lord Jesus, the Father will always be with you. That means that you will have nothing to fear from bullies and their traps in life. If you’re ever drawn into traps of vindictiveness and anger and bossing, only look up to the hills.
He is coming.
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From whence does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved,
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel
Will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade
On your right hand.
The sun shall not smite you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all evil;
He will keep your life.
The LORD will keep
Your going out and your coming in
From this time forth and forever.
(Psalm 121)
