The Forge of Adversity

A few nights ago most of America witnessed an unforgettable moment in the history of baseball. Derek Jeter was at the plate for what would be his last at bat of his professional baseball career and smashed a walk-off game winning RBI single. It didn’t matter that the Yankees were already eliminated from the playoffs. He gave his fans what they came to see; ultimate achievement in the face of adversity.

The last thing you want to do is finish playing or doing anything and wish you would have worked harder. (Derek Jeter)

Moments like these don’t just happen because of some mystical alignment of a constellation or childish superstition. They happen because the person has spent a lifetime training and preparing for such a defining challenge. Adversity is often the forge of character, hope, and faith.

Two of the most important questions that we can ask ourselves and our students are:

1. Where are you now?
2. Where do you want to go?

As we process the answers to these questions, we also need to take a more introspective look; is what I am currently doing helping me move closer to my goal; if not, what am I willing to change in order to move?

Life is all about change in the face of adversity. Failure to change is often a failure to grow and learn. Change is the result of an inward glance at our soul in light of our perception of life’s current circumstances; it is our perception of reality that defines our perception of truth. But our perceptions are not always true.

A true and righteous learning experience is sometimes adversarial in that it forces us to examine our greatest fear – that we may be wrong. Unless we walk through the fiery furnace of life with a tenacious spirit we will remain stuck in our fear and become stagnant in our faith.

If we fail to take this personal journey and face the giants in our own lives, how can we hope to see our students make the shifts necessary to prepare them for their future? May we step into the batter's box with a quiet confidence and swing with purpose and intention so that we leave the next generation an example of unwavering faith in the ultimate truth of the reality of a living and vibrant God.

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Stand strong, my human friends...