The Lucky Bracelet

Something happened over Labor Day that reminded me that we can’t just have faith; we have to put our faith to work. And the lesson came from the most unlikely of sources, a seven year old little boy.

I played in a Memorial Tournament in Fullerton which our baseball club hosts to honor three of our teammates who have passed away. I arrived at the field early Saturday morning and noticed the manager of our team was already there. He immediately approached me in the dugout and said he wanted to share something with me. He told me about his seven year old son who attends a Christian preschool and how his son recently decided on his own…to share his love of the Lord with other people in a very unique way. With help from his parents the little boy had bracelets made with symbols on them that remind people about Jesus’s love for us. He then went on a field trip to Washington DC and handed out the bracelets to people in the street. That would be an impressive thing for an adult to do, let alone a seven year old little boy!

There was one bracelet left over and my manager said he wanted me to have it because of the way I share my faith through my Monday Messages. Needless to say I was honored to receive the bracelet and greatly impressed by the faithful actions of such a young boy. It reminded me that children have a way of seeing the world in a simple black and white way, not the gray and stressful way we adults see it. In fact, the bracelet itself was gray in color, which is a great reminder that although we live in a “gray” world, if we have faith, things are usually more black and white and simple.

Our team did well in the tournament winning two out three games, so we made it to the championship game on Monday, but it wasn’t easy. During the second game, the one we lost, we fell behind because we ran out of pitchers. In fact, I even had to pitch one inning which was stressful to say the least. As I took the mound, the field umpire approached me and told me I needed to take off my bracelet. As I took it off he asked me about it and what the symbols meant. I said, “It’s a reminder of Jesus and my new good luck charm.” The umpire nodded and said, “I don’t care what it is, you still gotta take it off!”

Up to that point I had played really well, but with my lucky bracelet in my pocket, instead of on my wrist, I pitched poorly and gave up several runs. We lost that game, but after shaking hands with the other team I was surprised to see that same umpire approaching me. He said kind of sheepishly that he was sorry for making me take off the bracelet and asked again about the symbols on it. So I told him the story of the seven year old boy who made bracelets so that he could share his faith with others. I think that umpire was as touched by the story as I was and although we lost that game, I felt like I had gained something far more important - a chance to copy the brave actions of a seven year old and share my faith!

What does it profit us, if we have faith, but do not have works?

~ James 2:14

The meaning of the Symbols
He came, was crucified, buried, rose and will come again someday!