AN ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD JAILBIRD
One of the dreams for any baseball fan is catching a fly ball, and bringing it home as a souvenir. But in the early days of baseball, club owners didn’t allow it. They believed all the balls belonged to them. After all, they paid for the orbs, so they demanded that any ball caught by a fan must be thrown back and reused. This rule was challenged on several occasions, but none more outrageous than the case of an eleven-year-old boy named Robert Cotter in July, 1923.
Young Robert was watching the Phillies play in Philadelphia, when he caught a foul ball. He slipped it in his pocket, feeling justified because he had put out the effort to catch the ball. The owners took a rather dim view of his nonconformity, and demanded he return it. When he refused, the ushers detained him until the police arrived.
The consequences were severe. The cops arrested the youngster, and at the tender age of eleven, he spent an entire night in jail. Fortunately, a compassionate judge released him the next day, stating it was “entirely reasonable” for a boy to keep a foul ball he caught at a baseball game. Besides, the judge noted, he made a really good catch. (Source: Inc.com)
All that for a lousy baseball? The owner’s attitude reminds me of the Pharisees. Everything was about rules. There was no wiggle room—at least when it came to other people. They were so hung up on their own religious rules, they missed the whole purpose of God’s law, which was to bless us with a better life. The Pharisees worshiped their rules more than God. They put propriety above people’s needs. On two occasions Jesus told them, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Matthew 9:13; 12:7). Compassion trumps rules. I would say throwing an eleven-year-old in the slammer definitely tosses out compassion.
Rules are essential; we can’t live without them—especially God’s rules. Obedience to God sets us free to live as he intended. But putting practices above people? That’s upside-down. It drives people away from Jesus faster than a preacher in a tutu. Who are we drawn to in the story: the owners, or the judge? How about Jesus, or the Pharisees? Let’s place peoples’ needs above our own preferences. Remember that when a fly ball comes your way at a baseball game.
Principle: With Jesus, showing compassion is more important than following rules.
Ponder:
When have you found yourself acting compassionately toward someone? How did it feel?
In what specific relationships or situations do you see the need to show more compassion?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study Matthew 9:9-13 and 12:1-8.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me be more like you—full of mercy and compassion. Forgive me for the times when I’ve acted like a Pharisee.
If you enjoyed this article, please tell your friends, and subscribe on my website, BarneyCargile.com
Check out my books on Amazon, Thriving in Quarantine and Thriving in Troubled Times. If you like them, please write a review.
Here’s the link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BGDW2NV