08 The Commitment
"...AND FOR THE NUMBER ONE PICK IN THE NBA DRAFT, THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS PICK JOEY BALLER!"
The Los Angeles Lakers were able to secure the rights through a blockbuster deal for the number one draft pick in the NBA. They immediately picked Joey Baller, a college all-star power forward who averaged 35 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists in his 4-year college career, leading his team to the NCAA college tournament title a record 4 times in a row. Joey had a great work ethic and trained constantly during the off-season. He had publicly told his friends and family during his college career that he would love to play for the Lakers one day when he went pro.
The Lakers general manager and coach both excitedly shook Joey's hand and gave him a 10-year contract worth 300 million dollars to sign. However, Joey asked if he really had to sign the contract. The GM and coach stared at each other in bewilderment. They simultaneously asked him what he meant by this.
Joey said that while he would love to join the Lakers family, 10 years sounded like an awfully long time to him. What if he could just play for them this season without having to sign anything? The coach responded to Joey and told him that Joey can't do that. How would the Lakers know that Joey won't turn around and suddenly sign with another team?
Joey thought about this for a moment then he offered a compromise. What if Joey signed the contract to play with the Lakers, but Joey could forgo wearing their team jersey during games and wear his own designer one? It would still say Lakers on his jersey, he added.
The GM and coach were stunned by Joey's response. The GM told Joey that he had to wear the team jersey if he signed the contract. He was going to be part of a team!
Joey then told the GM and coach, okay, he would think about wearing their jersey, but he asked them if he could have the weekends off so he could go clubbing on Saturdays and golfing on Sundays. The GM and coach were just horrified at Joey's lack of commitment. Maybe he wasn't the committed basketball player they thought he was.
Baptism is a commitment to God. The act of baptism (immersion in water) doesn't make a Christian perfect, but it shows that they are committed to living a life according to the Holy Spirit. What baptism means to us is that our sins are forgiven and washed away in God's eyes and that we are adopted into God's family. A person can be baptized once he or she believes in Jesus Christ and accepts Him as their Savior, repent of their sins, and study the Bible to learn the essentials of Biblical faith. If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and haven't been baptized yet, will you pray on it and consider officially joining God's family?
- Recommended reading: Romans 6:1-12
