Lessons Learned from Wrigley Field

I was recently in Chicago on business. While I was there I had the chance to take in a Chicago Cubs game. I had always wanted to see a game at Wrigley Field, and I must say it was the highlight of the trip. I really enjoyed the game and the surroundings. But what was most interesting about my visit to Wrigley were the people. I saw some of the most interesting people and I could not help but wonder about their story. What were their lives like? What did they do for a living? Did they have families?

There was one couple that sat in front of me at the game. They were an older couple who had been life long Cub fans. You could see it in their eyes, you could hear it in their voices, they loved the Cubbies. What was interesting about them was their passion and how everyone else related to them. You see, they were known for being Cubs fans. Every attendant that walked by, every beer and peanut salesmen, even the president of the Cubs stopped and said a word of encouragement to this couple. It seemed that the entire Cubs organization knew this couple and they made sure they said something to them through out the course of the game. They were known as the Cubs number one fan, and they enjoyed it.

That got me thinking, what am I known for? When people see me what do they think? Do I mean anything to anybody? When my life is done, what will people say about me? These are the questions that run through my mind at a Cubs game. Strange I know, but you just have to take this little trip with me.

There are a lot of things I think I'm passionate about. I love to hunt. Anybody that truly knows me knows that I would just as soon be in the deer woods on a fall day than anywhere else in the world. People who know me also know that I have been a Oklahoma Sooner fan since I could say Boomer Sooner! People who know me also know I love to preach! Standing in front of the God's church and proclaiming God's Word is an incredible privilege and honor. One that I don't deserve to get to do. But thank you Lord for allowing me that joy. But above all those things, the one thing I hope people know me for is loving my family.

This is the one thing that God has called all of us to do. We are to love our families and to have great passion for them. It was the family that God created first before the church. It was the family that was God's initial tool for sharing the Gospel. It was the family that Satan attacked because he knew it was cherished by God. And though many things have changed since that time, one thing has not and that is that God still cherishes the family and Satan is still trying to attack it.

That is why it is so important that we become moms and dads known for loving our families. We are the one that God has put in place to defend our families from the evil one. We are the ones that have the responsibility to train up our children and grandchildren in the things of God and to teach them to have a passion for Him. But for any of that to happen we have to be known as having a passion for Him ourselves. The greatest thing that could ever be said of you when this life is over is that you were a defender of your home and that you loved your family.

The couple at the Cubs game were known for being fans. What are we known for? If we want to change our family tree than we better be known as defenders of our home, lovers of our families and followers of our God. This is the call we all must surrender to or we risk everything God has ever given us.

Don't be afraid to change your family tree!

Paul Kersh
Family Tree Ministries