“TRUST GOD – HE KNOWS BETTER”
A surprising article told the story of a cancelled check, dating from July 11, 1949, that was up for auction. What was significant about this piece of paper? It was the “sign-up bonus check” written out to the newest member of the New York Yankees – Mickey Mantle.
Such bonus checks were important to young players, since they amounted to many times more than they could earn in their rookie season and would provide them desperately needed cash for their moving and maintenance expenses. The article explained that in the year following Mickey Mantle’s sign-up, bonus checks to promising players of $100,000.00 were common. The previous year, 1948, the Yankees paid Bobby Brown $56,000.00 when he signed up to play for the Yankees. That same year the Milwaukee Braves and the Detroit Tigers each paid their respective players Johnny Antonelli and Frank House $75,000.00 for their sign-up bonuses.
How much did Mickey Mantle, a player who towered above these men, receive from the Yankees the following year? For signing up with the Yankees Mickey Mantle received a meager $1,150.00. How sad that they valued the man so little who would become a baseball legend!
There’s nothing as demoralizing as when a powerful organization like the New York Yankees judges a player “not worth the investment.”
Many could also testify that it’s every bit as painful when a powerful organization like the Army judges those Soldiers who have given everything in its service as “not worth the investment” when it passes them over for promotion or so quickly after a war judges them as unfit for duty. But Mickey didn’t let this pathetic vote of confidence stop him or slow him down. He batted his way into baseball stardom, accumulating 536 career home runs, twice hitting over 50 in a season (52 in 1956 and 54 in 1961), was three times voted Most Valuable Player, won the Triple Crown in 1956, and is considered by many to be the best switch hitter of all time. And in time, the Yankee’s crumby little bonus check didn’t matter as Mantle went on to become the highest paid player in the majors during his career.
And when our potential and worth are not recognized by the “experts” we need to look beyond their faulty judgment to the One Who is infinitely wiser and sees our future as vividly as He sees our present. For God our Heavenly Father believes in us and has invested everything in our eternal success.
When God looked at the timid and tongue-tied Moses he saw the great believer and lawgiver. When God looked at the cowardly Gideon He saw a “mighty man of valor.” When God looked at a young David who “followed the sheep” He saw the greatest king who would “lead a nation.” When Christ looked at the spineless Simon He saw Peter, the rock, upon which he would build the church.
The world will always underrated and dismiss the promise and potential of those whom God has already determined to transform into champions. We just need to pay more attention to His assessment of us and less to man’s.
PRAYER: Dear Father in heaven, I praise You that You love me and see in me a greatness and worth unseen or appreciated by anyone else. Into Your loving and capable hands I commit my life, my future, and my destiny. In Jesus Holy Name, Amen.
(From “The Sustainer’s Faith”: A Year Round Resource for Spiritual Resiliency)