REFLECTIONS
July 8, 2007
 
 
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
Matthew 16:18
 
 
House That Ruth Built
 
Old Yankee Stadium was affectionately known as the house that Ruth built. In his day, people came in droves to see Babe Ruth perform, and there weren’t too many days that he disappointed them. If the Bambino didn’t hit a home run during the game, there was always something else colorful that entertained the crowd. Even when he struck out, he left the stadium abuzz.
Babe Ruth’s life was the rock on which Yankee Stadium was built and I suspect that the renovations that have been made to it in recent years have not diminished its commemoration to him. Many patrons feel the aura of the place without the experience of ever seeing the Babe play. His influence is still felt by the millions of fans that follow the game. From that place, his life has touched more people than he ever knew and his influence still attracts fans today to the place identified with his life.
Yankee Stadium may be a wonderful monument to the colorful life of Babe Ruth, but it is not the kind of monument that most of us build in commemoration of our own lives. Most of us live in more ordinary ways, but our lives still influence more people than we will ever know. My grandmothers are worthy examples of what I mean.
I refer to my grandmothers with noticeable frequency because of the many ways they have influenced my own life. And even though most of you did not know them, the stories of their lives just may have also influenced yours. My grandmothers built no monuments like the house that Ruth built, but they lived their lives for Jesus Christ, and like Peter, they were rocks on which Christ continued to build his church. The lives they lived touched more people than they ever knew and in no small way spread the name of Jesus Christ in the world.
So it is with all of us. Few of us will ever be public figures like Babe Ruth and not many monuments that we build in our lives will be as recognized as Yankee Stadium. Yet when we live our lives for Jesus Christ, we are building monuments. We are rocks on which Christ can continue to build his church. We will touch more lives than we will ever know.
And we will in no small way spread the name of Jesus Christ in the world.
 
“You are the light of the world,”
Richard Ì
 


Click here for Printer Friendly Version