DEPRIVED OF PERFECTION

Neal Pollard

Armando Galarraga is a name that even those less than die-hard or fantasy league players may not be familiar with, but he came one out from throwing only the 21st perfect game in the history of Major League baseball.  In fact, thanks to the unflinching and unforgiving eye of video technology, we all know that the Detroit Tigers’ pitcher did better than that.  With two outs in the ninth, the Cleveland Indians’ batter hit a ground ball to the second baseman.  Galarraga ran to cover first base, taking the throw clearly before the Indians’ runner reached the bag.  Jim Joyce, serving as first base umpire and possessed of many years experience, called the runner safe.  Thus ended Galarraga’s bid for one of baseball’s most elusive achievements.  The call by Joyce was so bad, however, that he personally apologized in person to the entire Tigers team and did the same, in tears, to the young man whom he effected by his blown call.  Baseball fans and sportswriters, apparently to no avail, have pleaded with baseball commissioner, Bud Selig, to overrule Joyce’s miscue and award Galarraga the perfect game he earned.

Perhaps, though without national media scrutiny, you have been unfairly treated, maybe accused of something you did not do or wrongfully deprived of what is rightfully yours.  Such a miscarriage of justice can cause us to feel righteous indignation.  However, in the spiritual realm, none of us can claim that we have lived our lives entirely without imperfection.  The message of the Bible is that all of us have sinned (Rom. 3:23; 5:12; Ecc. 7:20).  Without doubt, we all repeatedly struggle with falling short of what God expects us to do and doing what He has called sin (Js. 4:17; 1 Jn. 3:4).  Thankfully, however, there was One who was able to go from “wire to wire,” from birth to the grave to resurrection to heaven without committing sin (2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:22; Heb. 4:15).  It is by His perfection and only by it that we can be “perfected,” made right in God’s eyes.  When God sees the blood of His Son applied to our sins, He sees the blood rather than our sins!  Praise God for His plan that called for His perfect Son to execute that plan flawlessly!  Though we could never do it for ourselves, we can choose to follow and serve the only One who could!