68 A Homerun for Dad
Mark was up at bat with the bases loaded. He was in the final game of the college World Series of baseball. It was the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs, the bases loaded and his team down by two runs. He knew he had to focus to connect on a pitch, but all he could think about was his father.
All of Mark’s life, Mark tried to impress his father playing baseball. He knew his father really loved baseball, so Mark did his best. However, it never seemed good enough for his father. When Mark practiced with his father, Mark could never do well enough in his father’s eyes. His father would always yell at Mark to focus harder and never give Mark any compliments.
When Mark played baseball in college, Mark always got a ticket for his father to sit behind the dugout, but his father never came to a single game. After playing several games, Mark would start recognizing the same fans that would show up. There was even some guy wore the ugliest looking neon green hat who sat high up in the stands every game. However, when Mark looked behind him, the spot he saved for his father was always empty. Mark felt so resentful and angry at his father for such a long time.
When the pitcher threw the ball, Mark intensified his focus and swung the bat with all his might. Mark’s bat connected with the speeding ball and Mark crushed a homerun. As Mark ran the bases, he saw that the guy in the neon green hat pulled out a glove and caught the ball in the stands. The game was over and Mark’s team ran out onto the field to Mark in celebration.
After the game, Mark’s coach congratulated Mark, but asked Mark why he seemed so down, even though he won the game for the team. Mark responded that he wished that his father saw him hit that homerun. Actually, he wished that his father would have attended just one of his games.
Mark’s coach gave Mark a puzzled look and asked Mark what he was talking about. Mark’s coach told Mark that he has seen his father attend every single game. Didn’t Mark ever see his father in the stand wearing that neon green hat?
Mark was shocked by his coach’s words and he immediately ran home. Was this possible? Mark thought to himself. After all this time, Mark had all these pent-up feelings of anger and resentment for nothing?
When Mark burst into his home, he saw a neon green cap and a baseball lying on the table. Mark cried out for his father and when his father came into the room, Mark hugged his father tightly and tearfully apologized to his father. However, his father hushed him and looked at him with a tender gaze and simply told him, “You did good today, son.”
There are times we feel that we are separated from God and that it seems that He is not there for us when we need Him most. However, God is always there for you, even though you may not notice. God is there with you during the good times and He is there for you in the bad times, carrying you through. Happy Father’s Day.
- Recommended reading: Proverbs 1:8, 3:12, 13:1
