Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.
(Psalm 25.5
NRSV)
Since this lad had no professional experience, the usual thing would have been to send him down to the minor leagues to get some seasoning and then bring him back after he had proven himself. But McGraw was not willing to risk that. He knew that most managers would not be able to resist trying to change that old batting style--and he also knew that tinkering with it might upset the boy's natural swing and destroy a real talent. He kept the young man on the bench with the Giants, sending him into games here and there, in situations where his inexperience was unlikely to hurt the team.
The rest, as they say, is history. That young man, Mel Ott, went on to become one of the great sluggers of all time, a star right fielder, and ultimately a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. And he always lifted his right foot in the air before hitting the ball.
God must be tempted at times to step in and intervene in our lives and say to us, "Hey, that won't work. You'll kill yourself if you keep that up." Yet He allows us to pilot our own ship. If we ask, though, if we enlist His help, if we will entrust our lives to His care, He will lead us beside still waters. We will see the glory of His care. He listens. He leads. HE LOVES.
Lord Jesus, lead me to the sill waters of service and love. Amen.