Baseball Family #2
The Catcher – Mom’s Place on the Field
I played baseball for years. Several little league seasons and one year in high school and yet there is one position I never played. I pitched a couple of innings in a game, played all the infield and outfield positions. I just never got behind the plate and caught a game. As a kid I always thought it would be boring to be stuck in that one place for nine innings. So I always talked my way out of being the catcher.
It wasn’t until I grew up some and began to watch baseball that it became apparent just how important the catcher is to a team. I loved watching Pudge Rodriquez play for the Rangers and the other teams he played with. He took control of the game and made sure it went the way it should. He could throw you out at any base and hit for power or put the position players in just the right spot for defense. He will always go down in the books as one of the best catchers to ever play.
Of course, what does this have to with a family? I believe that moms play this role in the family. Indulge me for a few paragraphs as we look at how the two can be almost the same.
A good catcher is hard to find. I watched a lot of kids try to play catcher. The ball skips by they throw it over the pitcher’s head and it just seems like they are everywhere except where they are supposed to be. Proverbs 31: 10 & 11 says, “A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds. Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it.” One of the greatest gifts God has given us is our moms. As I raised my sons we often talked about finding the right person to marry. I was blessed when I met their mom and she agreed to marry me. To find a good catcher you have to take your time and not be quick to just put anybody behind the plate. But, once you find a great catcher you need to make sure you keep them on your team.
A catcher also makes sure everyone is in their place on the field. The catcher knows what pitch is coming next and has a good idea of where the ball will go if it is actually hit. Moms do the same thing for a family. They make sure we are where we need to be and that we are prepared for what is about to happen in our lives. They can anticipate for us and be there to cover an overthrow to first or to make sure we are in the right place for the play. The role of a mom is one that only a mom can truly play in our lives and family. They are the ones who can guide us through either the worst days or our best days as a family.
A catcher calls the pitches for the team. You have seen it before every pitch in a game. The pitcher stands on the mound and stares in at the catcher. With signals the pitcher finds out what the next pitch the catcher wants. Sometimes you see the pitcher and catcher mix up the signals and a curve ball will bounce all the way to the backstop. Then there are meetings on the mound to make sure the signals are understood. Proverbs 6:20 tells us how to approach the signals our moms call: “Good friend, follow your father’s good advice; don’t wander off from your mother’s teachings.” The pitcher in a game really has to trust what the catcher calls. The Bible many times calls us to do the same thing. To trust the pitch our moms call for the family. To know what pitch to call though the catcher has to truly know a couple of things. One is the best pitch that can be thrown at the moment. What pitch can the pitcher throw that will be a sure strike. The catcher also needs to know what pitch the batter will be least likely to hit. So a mom needs to understand her own family and then the people around the family.
A catcher protects home plate. There is something about a play at the plate. Either an out happens or a run scores. Something is protected or the other team gets another run. Many times there is a collision at the plate and we hold our breath to see if the runner is out. Did the catcher do the job that was needed at that moment? Solomon wrote something about an amazing woman years ago. His words read, “She is strong and graceful, as well as cheerful about the future. Her words are sensible, and her advice is thoughtful. She takes good care of her family and is never lazy. Her children praise her, and with great pride her husband says, “There are many good women, but you are the best!” Charm can be deceiving, and beauty fades away, but a woman who honors the LORD deserves to be praised. Show her respect – praise her in public for what she has done.”
Moms like catchers are great when the pull these three things together. Do they have the family in place, the right pitch called and home plate covered? It is time that we all stop and recognize the great roll our moms play and have played in our families and to praise them for their love and dedication to us. If you were blessed with a great mom maybe today you stop and call her or just walk into the next room and tell her how much she means to you.