Duke Jeyaraj brings a Bible Life Lesson from the India-Pakistan World Cup Game of 16 June 2019
Most batsmen would be mighty pleased after an effort on 140 runs off 113 balls in one of the most widely watched ODIs of recent times – the India V Pakistan World Cup ODI Game in Manchester on 16 June 2019. But not Rohit Sharma. When he got out, with over 11 overs still to go in India’s innings by playing an uncharacteristic shot, right after hitting a six, he was livid with himself. After he played a silly ‘dilscoop’ like needless shot and gifted his wicket to Pakistan, he was furious. He perhaps knew that no one would outscore him in that Indian innings, including skipper Virat Kohli. But he still was angry with himself for getting out! In the end India crushed Pakistan – the seventh time in the seven times they have met in the ODI World Cups – by 89 runs (the highest ever run margin they have thrashed Pakistan with in ODI World Cups)! He knew if he batted till the end of the 50th Over, India would have got about 400 runs (but instead they only got only 336, which however was more than enough). For Rohit Sharma, the competition is not with anyone else. He competes with himself. He constantly seek to improve himself. He is growing in the world of batting in ODIs. On Father’s Day – June 16 when this match was held in 2019 – it was Father’s Day – he wanted to hit another “daddy” hundred – a double hundred that would have put the game out of Pakistan’s reach even before their batsmen faced even a single ball in their innings!
Do we seek to grow in our Christian Life that way Rohit Sharma passionately seeks to outdo himself in each passing ODI? When you commit a sin, does that bring about a feeling of genuine regret and heart-felt repentance (as Paul calls for in 2 Cor. 7:10), the way Rohit expressed it after playing that fool-hardy shot that robbed him and his team of greater exploits in the 2019 World Cup ODI versus Pakistan? Are we listening to Apostle Peter when he writes thus: “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities and continue to grow in them, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:5-8). Are you glad to add to your spiritual living more and more Christ-like character? When Paul wrote “are being transformed into the same image (of Christ) from one degree of glory to another” would he be talking about us as well (2 Cor. 3:18)? Or, are you mighty pleased that while you watch porn only once in a month, your believer friend watches it once in every week (and so you are happy that you are better than him)? Or, are you pretty happy that you get worried only once in a while while your spouse is worried and worked up and fretting all the time (instead of looking to grow up even more as a believer to a point where you totally trust in God and do not worry about anything at all)? Let’s not get settled with ‘salvation-satisfaction-stagnation’ in our spiritual walk. Let Rohit Sharma fury after his dismissal at 140 in the 39th over of the India-Pakistan 2019 World Cup game spur us to greater spritual heights and ongoing Christ-like transformation!
(Rev. Dr. Duke Jeyaraj is the founder of Grabbing the Google Gen from Gehenna Misison. This is a reader supported Indian ministry. Find out more at http://www.dukev.org. Like Duke’s Facebook Ministry page at http://www.facebook.com/dukebook. Subscribe to Duke’s Youtube Message channel at http://www.Youtube.com/visitduke).
