In Exodus 20, the God of the universe sets up some rules to help humanity live in harmony with one another.  One of those rules is “Thou Shalt Not Steal.”   Most cultures have decided that not taking your neighbor’s stuff is a pretty good idea.  But baseball is different, stealing is encouraged.  Of course, like anyone who steals you can get caught and if you get caught stealing there are consequences.  You’re called out.

Whenever a baseball coach decides to have their player steal the coach must look at the situation and decided is the reward, advancing a runner 60 or 90 feet, worth the risk of the runner getting caught.  Sometimes the risk of getting caught is very high.  The runner is slow.  The pitcher has a quick delivery toward home plate.  The catcher has a rifle for an arm.  The shortstop and second basemen are excellent at putting tags on runners.  In these situations, it might not be worth the risk.

But there are times when the reward is worth the risk.  The runner is fast.  The pitcher takes their time hurling the ball home.  The infielders have been playing like they don’t know what is going on in the game.  The catcher’s throwing arm has not developed enough to throw down to second quickly.  The score and inning call for your baserunner to try and steal.  The team needs a runner in scoring position.  When enough questions come back with an answer that would indicate the runner needs to steal, the signal is given.  Steal.  The runner and batter signal back to the coach on the bases; got it.  The ball comes floating towards home.  The runner is already sprinting towards second.  The batter swings and misses to help protect the runner.  The catcher throws the ball.  The runner slides under the outstretched hand of the shortstop, but its too late.  The umpire yells, “Safe!!”

There are times in our lives that we too have to evaluate the situation and decided if the risk worth the reward.  Now when it comes to taking someone else’s stuff the reward is never worth the risk.  But RevJim, I only stealing a candy bar, it’s not like I am stealing a car or someone’s spouse.  That’s true stealing a candy bar would not be “as bad as” stealing a car or person.  But we, as Christian, should not be so willing to risk our reward of being in a right relationship with God.  “RevJim, don’t worry,” you say, “God will forgive me.”  Yes, that’s true.  God will forgive you, but you still are doing damage to your relationship with Jesus.

Remember what the prophet Samuel asks King Saul after the king offered a sacrifice.  King Saul was supposed to wait for the prophet to come and Samuel would offer up the sacrifice.  These sacrifices were burnt so that God would be with Israel when they attacked their enemy.  King Saul grew impatient when Samuel didn’t come in the time and manner that Saul wanted him to come.  Saul being king took matters into his own hands.

He called for the wood.  He sent for the fire.  The sacrifice was slaughtered.  The deed was done.  But the foreign fire was not pleasing to God.  The prophet asks, “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.  (I Samuel 15:21)

Saul looked at the situation.  The prophet is late.  “Samuel should have been here hours ago,” Saul tells himself. “Our enemy could attack at any moment.  I must do something.  People are looking to me to lead this nation,” he justifies.  So the king thought the reward of not seeing is whole kingdom destroyed was worth the risk of God being mad at him.  The final result is that God is not happy with Saul and he loses his kingdom.

What are you thinking about doing that you know is not pleasing to God?  You are probably not going to offer up a ram as a sacrifice but every day, almost all of us,  forgo something that God asked us to do.   “Feed that man.  Help that woman.  Be a parent to the parentless.  Provide for the widows and widowers.”  God would rather have your obedience than your sacrifice for we show our love for God through our obedience.

The good news for humanity is that when we do need a perfect sacrificial lamb Jesus is ready, willing and able to be our sacrifice.  So today, I want to encourage you to strive for obedience through the power of the Holy Spirit knowing that when you fail, and you will, there is a perfect sacrifice waiting to forgive you.

Finally, is the risk of being obedient to Christ worth the reward?  Let’s ask the Apostle Paul.    In Philippians 3, Paul is listing why as a Jew he should be considered “alright with God.”   Of course, Paul knows that his ancestry is and how he has lived is life fall short of God’s perfect standard.  He knows he needs a savior and tells the people of Philippians.

“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ,” Philippians 3:8.  Do you consider everything in this world to be garbage or really dung, compared to knowing Christ Jesus?  Today and every day rely on the Holy Spirit and be obedient.