Take Me Out of the Ball Game

Purpose

/ˈpərpəs/

noun

Definition of purpose:

1: the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists

verb

1: have as one's intention or objective

Back in 1993, at the age of nine, I tried out for little league. My sweaty palms on registration day should’ve been an indicator that maybe baseball wasn’t going to be my thing. But that didn’t stop me. I dried my hands on my double-sided Loony Tunes t-shirt, signed the form, and made the team. Or, I should say that I made a team. The Red Hot A’s. The name sounded more like a medical condition than a team name, and our opponents let us know it. But if the name wasn’t bad enough, the game itself was.

My introduction to the world of organized baseball was also the first year where players, not coaches, did the pitching. “Kid pitch” they called it. Sounds nice. Sounds kind of cute. It was neither. You see, aim isn’t a nine-year-old boy’s most salient quality. Bathroom floors across America can attest. And now this level of marksmanship was called upon to throw a round rock past other children with the hopes of hitting a target much smaller than a toilet. And at first, I, too, believed that the baseball-sized bruises were the product of inexperience. But at some point, parents and players alike start to question gross inaccuracy.  

As the season progressed, the lines between accidental beans and intentional assaults blurred. By the end of March, the game went from a sport that teaches teamwork and character, to a community-sanctioned battle royal. It was like The Hunger Games with cleats. And the odds were never in my favor. I was a mix between that poor District 8 kid and Bill Buckner (offense and defense, respectively). But it wasn’t just the pitching that turned me off from baseball. There was also the issue of interest, talent, and overall enjoyment for the game. I didn’t really have much of any. I’d like to say that I finished the season strong. But I can’t. Standing at bat for the last time was a bit more Weekend at Bernie’s than Katniss Everdeen.

After the last pitch, high-five, and Capri Sun, I realized that this was not my sport and these were not my people. I felt like I had more in common with the kid catching crickets under the bleachers than I did with my teammates.

Over the next few years, I would come to realize that strikeouts weren’t exclusive to baseball.  Mathematician, spelling bee champion, and gymnast would also make it to the long list of titles I’d never hold. I simply lacked the talent and I didn’t have enough interest to make up the difference. The juice wasn’t worth the squeeze (ironically, the exact reason I’d consider owning a Jamba Juice). But when it comes to finding purpose, exposure to new things is necessary—and in the case of my experience with little league baseball, a necessary evil.

Bestselling author Eric Barker writes, “You’re not the leader. You’re the follower. You don’t create passion in your kids as a parent. You expose them to new stuff. You notice where the Venn diagram of what they respond to and what you approve of overlaps. And then you feed that.” Exposure to new things is how interests and talents are given room to breathe and to develop. According to psychologist Howard Gardner, there are nine areas where interests and talents will most likely be found. Gardner called these nine areas, Multiple Intelligences.

NATURALIST –The ability to discriminate among living things (plants, animals). Children with this strength typically love the outdoors and outdoor activities. Possible future interests include: biologist, conservationist, farmer.

MUSICAL/RHYTHMIC –The capacity to discern pitch, rhythm, timbre, and tone. Children with this strength like to sing, perform, and may be drawn to music and/or musical instruments. Possible future interests include: musician, composer, singer, music teacher, conductor.

MATHEMATICAL/LOGICAL – Strong in logical-mathematical intelligence, and the ability to recognize patterns and logically analyze problems. Children with this strength are good at reasoning and problem solving. Possible future interests include: scientist, mathematician, computer programmer, engineer, accountant.

INTERPERSONAL -The ability to understand and interact with others effectively. Often viewed as outgoing and social. As children, these individuals may have typically been identified as "talkative" or "too social.” Possible future interests include: salesperson, counselor, philosopher, politician.

INTRAPERSONAL – Being in touch with one’s own feelings, values and ideas. Children with this strength tend to be more reserved, yet intuitive about what they learn and how it relates to themselves. Possible future interests include: writer, philosopher, scientist.

VISUAL/SPATIAL – Able to visualize well. Children with this strength enjoy charts, maps, illustrations, art, puzzles, costumes. Possible future interests include: architect, artist, engineer.

VERBAL/LINGUISTIC – The ability to use words well (written and spoken). Children with this strength excel at reading, writing, speaking and listening. Possible future interests include: teacher, writer/journalist, lawyer.

BODILY/KINESTHETIC - good at body movement, performing actions, and physical control. Children with this strength enjoy games, movement, building, hands-on tasks, and are often labeled "overly active.” Possible future interests include: actor, builder, sculptor, dancer.

EXISTENTIALIST – Curious about the "big picture" of existence. Children with this strength question why we are here and what is our role in the world. Possible future interests include: spiritual leader, philosopher, counselor, public speaker. 

It’s been said that if a fish is judged by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it’s stupid. Sometimes discovering purpose is simply a matter of finding the right fit—that which draws upon interests and, to a lesser extent, talent. (Interest is a better indicator of future talent, than talent is of interest.) Because if we’re stuck or forced to operate in an environment in which we were never meant to be, we may be left feeling like a fish out of water.

While I never made it to the majors (I barely made it to the end of the season), I did eventually find my thing. And it was through this process that I found that discovering purpose isn’t a matter of trial and error. Jeremiah 29:11 reads, “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (NIV). Purpose isn’t something we create, it’s something we grow. It’s placed in us from the start. So, while it’s important to develop our interests and talents, doing so is only half the equation. Along with developing our interests and talents, let’s, too, continue to seek out, and develop our relationship with, the One who put them there in the first place. Sure, we might experience a few bruises along the way, but that doesn’t mean we ever stop swinging.

Unless, like me, you’re terrible at baseball. In that case, literally stop swinging.

Ephesians 2:10

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (NIV).