Make Every Day a “Shay Day”
How much are you willing to be inconvenienced to invest in someone else so they can become all God has created them to be? I heard a story about a little boy named Shay. He was ten years old and both physically and mentally challenged. Shay loved baseball. He and his father were out walking one day by a baseball field where some young boys were playing a game. Shay asked his dad, "Do you think they would let me play?"
Shay's dad knew that he couldn't play at that level. He was uncoordinated and could hardly run at all. His dad didn't want to disappoint him, so he went over and asked one of the young boys in the dugout if Shay could play. The little boy looked around at his friends trying to get some feedback. Finally he said, "Well, sir. There's only two innings left and we're down by three runs. But sure, he can come and play. We'll put him in the outfield."
Shay was so excited. He could not believe he was actually playing baseball with those other boys. In the very last inning, their team was down by one run. There were two outs and Shay was up to bat. Deep down, those other teammates wanted to send their best batter up, but they knew that wouldn't be right. So, they sent Shay up to the plate basically knowing that they had lost the game. Shay really didn't have a chance. He was facing their star pitcher. This pitcher wound back and fired the first pitch so fast Shay barely knew what happened. He swung so late and was so uncoordinated that he missed it by a long shot.
At that point, the pitcher realized that Shay had some physical challenges. The next pitch he threw about half the speed. But once again Shay swung and missed it. For the last pitch, the pitcher stepped off the mound and walked much closer to home plate. He threw the ball as soft as he could, and believe it or not, Shay hit the ball! It went about five feet right in front of home plate. The pitcher ran and picked it up. Instinctively, he was about to fire it to first base and win the game, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw Shay running the best that he could. He didn't have the heart to throw it. On purpose, he threw the ball over the first baseman's head into the outfield. The dad stood up and said, "Run, Shay! Run!"
Shay made it to first and was headed toward second. By this time, all the other boys knew what was going on. On purpose, they kept throwing the ball over each other's heads or letting it go through their legs. Shay rounded third base and the whole crowd was shouting, "Shay! Shay! Shay!" Shay came in with a game-winning run! His father had big tears running down his cheeks. He was amazed at what just happened. That day, those boys deposited something in Shay that he'll never forget. When he's 70 years old, he will remember the time he scored the game-winning run.
See, sometimes you have to give up winning so somebody else can win. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices to let someone else get ahead. Sometimes you have to put your own dreams on hold temporarily so you can help release a dream in somebody else. Here's the key; what you make happen for others, God will make happen for you. My challenge to you is to make every day a "Shay day." Find somebody to invest in. Don't go to bed without knowing you did something to help someone else win. Believe in people before they succeed. Call out those seeds of greatness and watch what God will do in your own life in return.
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you… (Matthew 7:12, NIV).
Shay's dad knew that he couldn't play at that level. He was uncoordinated and could hardly run at all. His dad didn't want to disappoint him, so he went over and asked one of the young boys in the dugout if Shay could play. The little boy looked around at his friends trying to get some feedback. Finally he said, "Well, sir. There's only two innings left and we're down by three runs. But sure, he can come and play. We'll put him in the outfield."
Shay was so excited. He could not believe he was actually playing baseball with those other boys. In the very last inning, their team was down by one run. There were two outs and Shay was up to bat. Deep down, those other teammates wanted to send their best batter up, but they knew that wouldn't be right. So, they sent Shay up to the plate basically knowing that they had lost the game. Shay really didn't have a chance. He was facing their star pitcher. This pitcher wound back and fired the first pitch so fast Shay barely knew what happened. He swung so late and was so uncoordinated that he missed it by a long shot.
At that point, the pitcher realized that Shay had some physical challenges. The next pitch he threw about half the speed. But once again Shay swung and missed it. For the last pitch, the pitcher stepped off the mound and walked much closer to home plate. He threw the ball as soft as he could, and believe it or not, Shay hit the ball! It went about five feet right in front of home plate. The pitcher ran and picked it up. Instinctively, he was about to fire it to first base and win the game, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw Shay running the best that he could. He didn't have the heart to throw it. On purpose, he threw the ball over the first baseman's head into the outfield. The dad stood up and said, "Run, Shay! Run!"
Shay made it to first and was headed toward second. By this time, all the other boys knew what was going on. On purpose, they kept throwing the ball over each other's heads or letting it go through their legs. Shay rounded third base and the whole crowd was shouting, "Shay! Shay! Shay!" Shay came in with a game-winning run! His father had big tears running down his cheeks. He was amazed at what just happened. That day, those boys deposited something in Shay that he'll never forget. When he's 70 years old, he will remember the time he scored the game-winning run.
See, sometimes you have to give up winning so somebody else can win. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices to let someone else get ahead. Sometimes you have to put your own dreams on hold temporarily so you can help release a dream in somebody else. Here's the key; what you make happen for others, God will make happen for you. My challenge to you is to make every day a "Shay day." Find somebody to invest in. Don't go to bed without knowing you did something to help someone else win. Believe in people before they succeed. Call out those seeds of greatness and watch what God will do in your own life in return.
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you… (Matthew 7:12, NIV).