from Ron Rose
June 9, 2008

Preparation

Every person named in Hebrews 11 experienced a critical moment: A day in life that pushed him or her outside the box, beyond personal expectations, toward a unique event that changed everything. Critical moments transform us, renovate us, and redeem us. They impact our perspective and the perspective of others.

So, are you ready for a critical moments or would you rather skip it and save it for a rainy day? Truth is, whither you like it or not, you don’t control the timing; God does.

Robert Redford put skin and bone on Roy Hobbs in The Natural. Roy has a gift; he’s a “wonder boy” in baseball. The movie is his story of redemption. After years of self-focus, Roy comes to a defining moment in life in the last game of the World Series.

Roy has taken a bribe to throw the series, but that’s about to change. It’s the bottom of the ninth; the score is Pittsburgh 2, Knights 0. The Knights have 2 outs; there’s a man on first and third when Roy steps up to the plate. He’s their only chance.

Ever since high school days, Roy has played with a bat he made himself from the heart of a tree felled by lightning in his front yard. Roy burned into the bat the picture of a lightening bolt and the words “wonder boy.” This was the only bat he ever used.

His first swing is a miss; his second is a foul ball high and out of play. His third is a solid hit along the first base line. It looks like a home run but goes foul. As Roy returns to the plate, he sees his bat lying there…in pieces. It shattered on his attempted home run swing.

Some of us come to critical moments through successes, but many more of us, like Roy, come to these times through failures and brokenness. What happens next defined his character. Roy found redemption. It was his critical moment.

Roy stands looking over his shattered bat which is beyond repair. Then he says to the batboy, “Go pick me out a winner, Bobby.”

Roy stays in the game and hits a home run to win the series. Man redeemed!

Inspiration

In 1973 John Cappelletti, from Penn State, was the Heisman Trophy winner. On the night of his awards banquet, four thousand people crowded into the New York Hilton. John’s speech was carefully prepared and held tightly in his hand. He was nervous, but thrilled and humbled to be receiving the Heisman.

In his speech, John expressed his gratitude to the Penn State team, his coaches, and Coach Paterno. He told how Coach Paterno had come to his house on a recruiting visit and spent the afternoon with John’s little brother, Joey. That sensitivity to Joey played a major role in John’s decision to go to Penn State. You see, Joey was battling leukemia.

As John began talking about his brother, an unusual hush fell over the crowd. John couldn’t hold back the tears. He wadded up his prepared speech and let his heart do the talking.

“If I could dedicate this trophy to Joey, if I could give him one day of happiness, it would all be worthwhile. They say I have shown courage on the football field, but for me, it is only on the field and only in the fall. Joey lives with pain all the time. His courage is around the clock, and I want him to have this trophy. It is more his than it is mine, because he has been such an inspiration to me.”

When John sat down, there was moment of total silence and then the jaded, but touched, banquet crowd stood and applauded. A tone of reverent tribute filled the room. Even the wait staff applauded.

Joey was sitting near the front with his dad. He didn’t understand what was happening and asked his dad why John didn’t want the trophy. Joey’s father said, “He wants to give it to you, son.”

“But that’s not fair,” Joey replied. “It’s his, he earned it; it’s not mine, it’s his.”

“I know,” Dad said, “but he wants you to have it. He wants to give it to you.” Compassion displayed. Character revealed.

John wanted to honor Joey in the same way he had been honored. In this simple spontaneous public statement, John shifted the focus from himself to Joey. And a surprised audience was transfixed and transformed… if only for a few minutes. Character was revealed and inspiration awakened; it was John’s critical moment.

Motivation

Can you identify critical moments in your past?

What happened? How did that moment change you and the people around you?

If God sends a critical moment your way this week, don’t’ ignore it. Make the decision that honors your creator. Accept the challenge and watch God work his wonder.

God is still writing a book and you are in it. Your critical moment always reveals the courage and character inside you. So, make it so.