DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD!

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“Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (I Corinthians 10:31)

I have been a Cincinnati Reds die-hard fan ever since I can remember! Thank goodness, my son, Dustin, has followed suit….We have enjoyed going to games in the “big city” for many years, & enjoyed seeing some wonderful talents displayed over the years….Dustin & I have had many “baseball heroes” - those who have played the wonderful & beautifully simple, tradition-filled game of baseball with abilities way beyond the norm; those such as Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, George Foster, Eric Davis, Tony Perez, Joe Morgan, Chris Sabo, Dave Concepcion, Barry Larkin, Brandon Phillips, Ken Griffey, Jr., Joey Votto, & many more!

But it is way more difficult to find those who not only play the game with gifted ability, but also do their very best to live the godly, righteous, & holy life that our God demands of His children! Those who are not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!!

I recently found just that person! But unfortunately he doesn’t wear the Cincinnati Reds uniform, although he does wear red! His name is Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals --- Through his first decade in the major leagues, Pujols has set all kinds of records, hitting at least .300 with at least 30 homers and 100 RBIs in each of his 10 seasons – the only player ever to accomplish that! He has won the NL MVP award 3 times & has been an All-Star 9 times! Joe Posnanski (Sports Illustrated) has documented that at age 30, Pujols has more home runs than Babe Ruth, more RBIs than Hank Aaron, more hits than Pete Rose, & more runs than Ricky Henderson at the same age….AND HE HAS DONE IT WITH A SENSE OF HUMILITY THAT IS RARE AMONG ALL PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES!!!

But for all of his accomplishments, he is merely a man – a man incredibly gifted by Almighty God to do the things he does!! He will be the first to tell you that he has excelled ONLY because of GOD & GOD ALONE!!! Yes, Pujols has worked diligently to develop those God-given talents & gifts, but he has never lost sight of the fact that all the glory belongs to his Creator -- Our Heavenly Father!!!! Albert isn’t one to revel in his celebrity &, though his talents have made him immensely wealthy, he has used it to bless others & make a difference in people’s lives; not just materially, but spiritually as well, as he shares the Gospel of Christ as he goes!!!

It is the Lord Jesus who is the true Hero of the Albert Pujols story; his devotion to Christ is what has fueled him to excel in baseball….It has driven his generosity to the less fortunate, bolstered his integrity, & kept him humble in an occupation where personal honor & glory is often top priority!

“Every time I step on the field it’s to glorify (Jesus). No Matter if I’m going 5-5 that day or if I’m 0-4. No Matter if we win the game or we lose the game, I still glorify Him. I look up at the sky every time I get a base hit and
every time I cross the plate to remind myself that it’s not about Albert Pujols. It’s about the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Albert Pujols)

We all need to take that same Biblical approach in our own daily walk with Christ; no matter what you do or where you do it...............

WHATEVER YOU DO, DO IT FIRST & FOREMOST,AND ALWAYS FOR JESUS CHRIST!!!!!!!!!
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