There is more to this book then being TALL

Michael Young

Being 6'9 it is usually easy to figure out what sport I enjoy playing. Yes, basketball. However, when i'm sporting a nice tan (this is not often) some people do guess volleyball. Not sure how to take that...but, most people guess correct, with basketball. Although Basketball ended up being the sport I played in college and professionally it was not always my favorite sport.

As the Rangers are getting ready to play the Yankees it's great to see an old friend doing so well. Many of you might have heard of Michael Young, the Rangers current third basemen and ex short-stop. But, what many of you might not know is that Michael Young is a UCSB alumni. My alma-mater.

Growing up, baseball was my sport...I ate, sleep and breathed baseball. It wasn't until I got into high school that I really got into basketball. While being recruited in High School it was always important to me at the time that any school I went to would also let me play baseball.

One of the reasons ended up signing with Pepperdine is because they had both solid basketball and baseball teams. As my freshman year of basketball season and Pepperdine was ending, baseball season was already underway. I practiced twice with the Pepperdine baseball team before deciding to transfer. So for the first since I was five, I would go a whole year without playing on a baseball team. Interesting fact about that team...Randy Wolf of the Milwaukee Brewers was a freshman that year as we shared the same dorm.

Fast forward one year as I wrapped up my red-shirt year at UCSB. I am back on the baseball field playing on my first ever college baseball team. Although I played the field and hit my entire life, at the college level my only asset was as a pitcher. This was a new role for me, but after missing out on the competitive side of basketball because of red-shirting, I was thrilled to be competing again. We ended up having a great team that year, which was bitter sweet because with the talent we had, my playing time was very, very, very limited. However, the excitement of being a part of a top NCAA team and going to the big dance was something ill never forget. This would in fact be my last season playing competitive baseball. With the school load and the amount of work I was putting towards basketball, something had to give and when your 6'9...basketball usually wins out :)

I share this story for a couple reasons. One, it is cool to see an ex-teammate like Michael Young doing so well and having a chance at winning the big one. As I remember him, he was always a very hard worker and got the most out of what God had given him. It is amazing at what time will do, because Michael was not even one of our top three players on that championship team that went to the NCAA tournament. So don't be discouraged if your not the star right now, or in the position you want to be. Work hard, put in the hours and be faithful that, not you, but God is in control.

The other reason I share this story is I believe all to often we read only the cover of a book. I have gotten dubbed a basketball player ever since I was sixteen and 6'9. Most people don't know I played college baseball, or was a quarterback in High School and played on several travel soccer teams. Granted I am only talking about sports here...but this idea of judging someone with out really get to know them can be extremely unfair. Whether it be there height, looks, tattoo's, piercing or the color of their skin...I believe as Christian we are falling way short on this. I am all to guilty of this as well, but we need to take the time to get to know someone beyond what you see. We don't have to condone the behavior to befriend and or get to know someone on a deeper level.

The first question I am almost always asked is: how tall are you...and that question is immediately followed by: do you play basketball. These questions can become annoying after you hear them your entire life, although innocent enough. What about that co-worker or friend you haven't taken the time to get to know beyond what you have in common. It is all to often only about ourselves, we take someone and put them in a box and move on. I challenge you to dig deeper...get to know someone for real. Why your doing that, don't forget the ultimate gift you can share is the salvation of Jesus Christ. This gift will be so much easier to deliver if you take the time and develop a real relationship with someone. The better you know someone, the more you usually care for them and the more you care for someone the more you want them to have a chance to live eternity with Jesus.

So dig deeper, care a little more and don't be afraid to share the gift of Jesus Christ with someone.