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The Apostle Paul, King David’s son Daniel, and Gene Larkin.
What do they all have in common?
A few days ago as I was watching a little playoff baseball, my mind started to wander of days gone by when the Minnesota Twins actually were exciting to watch and a threat to win against any opponent.
This is ancient history for many; almost half of the worlds population hadn’t even been born when the Twins last won the World Series.
So here is a quiz for those of you that do remember the 1991 Twins baseball season: Who was arguably the most important part of that team?
Some would say, Jack Morris, Kirby Puckett, or Kent Hrbek.
I’d suggest it was Gene Larkin.
I can here you now- “Alan, your nuts, Gene Larkin?”
Think of this though:
Gene Larkin hit a career-best .286 in 1991. In Game 7 of that fall's World Series, he hit a walk-off single in the 10th inning, scoring Dan Gladden and giving the Twins a championship against the Atlanta Braves. With a career .266 batting average, he was a switch hitter that could play both infield and outfield.
Gene was a utility player. When something was needed to be accomplished, Gene was a go to guy. He could adapt to any situation and produce results.
Sitting here at 5:15am pondering this and writing, I'm reflecting on who are some of the most influential utility players from the Bible?
One obvious person is the Apostle Paul. He came right out and said:
I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.~ 1 Corinthians 9:22
Powered by the Holy Spirit and with sheer tenacity, though Paul wasn’t necessarily great at anything he was pretty effective at many things.
Another one of history’s most influential utility players was King David's son Daniel.
Daniel- was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.~Daniel 5:12
Commentary from the John Maxwell Leadership Bible sums up Daniel this way:
The exemplary personal character of Daniel makes him a favorite Bible personality for many. He is one of only a handful of men in the Bible about whom God says nothing negative. Although he shared the human nature of all other biblical leaders, he seems to rise above the others because of a combination of qualities:
Character—He displays character by refusing to do wrong before foreign kings.
Competence—Kings offer to pay him for his ability to interpret dreams.
Convictions—He refuses to eat the king’s meat or drink his wine.
Courage—He faces the lions’ den without flinching. Charisma—He is so winsome that royalty wants him to play key roles in government.
Commitment—He remains committed to his God despite pressure to compromise.
Compassion—He never loses his love for others, even in an enemy culture.
So, now I’m pondering what should all of this mean for me and maybe you? Here are two things to consider:
- I think it’s clear that throughout history, there are a relatively few people that God has gifted to possess multiple skills and the ability to effectively adapt to almost any situation. Look for those people in your life and make sure to share that you see that quality in them and appreciate it. I think a lot of utility players and their teammates undervalue how important they are in the big picture.
- Become one yourself. Through obedience, hard work, and humility, we all can improve ability to be a utility player for God’s glory.
Who knows? Maybe God will use you to hit your own version of a walk off game 7 10th inning single to win a World Series.
Alan Smith
CBMC Northland Area Staff
P.S. How does CBMC train men to be utility players for God's glory? Through peer groups, encouraging men to have a daily time in prayer and meditating on God's words from the Bible, and one to one discipleship, CBMC develops businessmen to be ambassadors for Christ and spiritual reproducers.
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