The Savannah Bananas

Baseball season is underway. Montgomery has a fine professional class AA baseball team, the Montgomery Biscuits. We are only a couple of hours away from the Atlanta Braves.

But our season began with a different brand of baseball. The Savannah Bananas came to play at Riverwalk Stadium. The stadium was totally sold out for two nights of baseball! I tried to use my influence, but couldn’t get a ticket.

The Savannah Bananas are like the Harlem Globetrotters. They have some very talented ball players, but the whole purpose of their playing is not to excel in real baseball, but to entertain the crowd.

I realize that the more I learned about them, the more I saw a parallel to how life is lived today. Let me share seven similarities for you to think about:

1. The Savannah Bananas don’t play by any set of rules—they make their own rules. If a foul ball goes in the stands and a fan catches it, it’s an out. God gave us some rules in life that are very clear and concise—but many people don’t follow the rules. They prefer just to make up their own rules. Life leads to a different result than a Savannah Bananas baseball game!
2. The players are very talented, but their talents are not used to play the legitimate game of baseball. They can catch fly balls in the outfield between their legs. They can do cartwheels going down the baseline. Life is composed of very talented people, but some folks never use their talents for which they were created.
3. The umpires are a part of the entertainment. They intentionally make bad calls. They do interesting dances between pitches. Their purpose is to entertain, not to be in charge. God is the Chief Umpire in life. He doesn’t play games. He has the best interest of every person at heart, and He is always right, just, and merciful.
4. The Bananas play strictly for entertainment. Their paychecks don’t depend on their batting or fielding or how many runs they score. They are judged on how well they entertain. A lot of people see life strictly as entertainment. Anything goes as long as it is fun. That’s vastly different from the productive, humble, disciplined, meek life to which God calls us to live.
5. The game is very entertaining but leaves a person empty. Jesus didn’t come to make life entertaining, but to make life full, fresh, and forever.
6. The Savannah Bananas perform well in order to get a good paycheck. God didn’t create life to be all about making a living. That’s important, but our vocation ought to be used as a platform to serve God’s people and to share the Good News. The purpose is quite different.
7. The Savannah Bananas always win. I’m sure sometimes it takes a lot of new rules and help from the umpires, etc., but they do win. In life, God’s team is always going to win. The Book of Revelation makes it clear who will win, but there will be no rule adjustments and God has already offered His help through Jesus. To win or lose is your choice.

I plan to get myself a ticket early next year when they return to Montgomery, but I’m focusing more on life every day and being a part of God’s team who does entertain, but who gives to each one of us a purpose to make every day count. When you live with Jesus Christ living in your heart, every day is a winning day!

Play ball!