Joe Torre is one of the most successful names in baseball history.
In twelve seasons (1996-2007), Torre led the New York Yankees Dynasty to four World Series Championships and six American League Pennants. Before coming to the Yankees, Torre was manager for the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, and New York Mets. After retiring from a stellar managing career, Torre worked in the front office for Major League Baseball. And long before he was ever called “manager,” “skipper,” or “executive,” Torre was an excellent player. He’s the only one in baseball history to record 2,000 hits as a player and 2,000 wins as a manager.
Torre was once asked, “Why don’t you coach from press box where you can see the whole field from above? Why sit in the hot, cold, and dirty dugout below?” Torre replied, “I want to see my players’ eyes.”
Torre never absconded the dugout for the suite. He wanted to be eye to eye with his players. That commitment was directly connected to his success.
We serve a Creator who chose to be with His creation. He left heaven’s porch for earth’s diamond. And He wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Yes, Jesus could have managed us from above, but He longed to coach from the dugout.
He wanted to walk where His players walked. He wanted to feel what His players felt. He wanted to hurt how His players hurt.
He wanted to see His players’ eyes.
The writer of Hebrews reminds us, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4: 15-16, NIV)
What incredible, unfathomable love. The Word became flesh (John 1: 14) and sin (2 Corinthians 5: 21) because He wanted to see our eyes.
Why would we ever take our eyes off Him?… |
