sharing

There is a Topps Baseball card called "Baltimore Orioles Future Stars" and it is valued at $100. There are three players on this card. Jeff Schneider played one year of professional baseball and pitched in 11 games. Bobby Bonner played four years in the majors but only appeared in 61 games and never hit a home run.

The third "Future Star" played 21 years for the Baltimore Orioles and appeared in 3,001 games. He came to bat 11,551 times, collected 3,184 hits and 431 home runs, and batted in 1,695 runs. His name is Cal Ripken, Jr. Bobby Bonner and Jeff Schneider's baseball card is worth $100, not because of their statistics, but because of what someone else has done. They get to share in the value of Cal Ripken, Jr.

We, too, share in the value of Another. Our worth is not found in ourselves, for we have none of any eternal consideration. We may be good people and well-respected among our peers. And like Jeff Schneider and Bobby Bonner, we may have much potential. 

I’m quite sure that I could never play baseball as well as Schneider and Bonner - much less Ripken. I just couldn’t measure up.

I couldn’t possibly measure up to the requirements of righteousness set by God. And neither could you. However, our names are included in the Lamb’s Book of Life, not because of our accomplishments, but because of our identification with Jesus Christ. It’s called “grace.”

-rocky henriques