-> Will you help us Open a World of Opportunity?    
 Home > Articles > Just for Men > "The Guts to Not Fight Back!"   
The Guts to Not Fight Back!The Guts to Not Fight Back!
by Alan Smith
Print This Article   Send it to a Friend

 
In researching the story of Jackie Robinson, I ran across some information about him that I had never heard before. I want to share with you some excerpts from an ESPN article by Larry Schwartz.
"A life is not important," Jackie said, "except in the impact it has on other lives."

By that standard, few people — and no athlete — this century has impacted more lives. Robinson lit the torch and passed it on to several generations of African-American athletes. While the Brooklyn Dodgers infielder didn't make a nation color blind, he at least made it more color friendly.

And he accomplished this feat by going against his natural instincts. ... That's what Robinson had to do when Dodgers president Branch Rickey selected him to become the first African-American to play in the majors this century. Rickey wanted a man who could restrain himself from responding to the ugliness of the racial hatred that was certain to come.

A shorthand version of their fateful conversation in August 1945:

Rickey: "I know you're a good ballplayer. What I don't know is whether you have the guts."

Robinson: "Mr. Rickey, are you looking for a Negro who is afraid to fight back?"

Rickey, exploding: "Robinson, I'm looking for a ballplayer with guts enough not to fight back."

That's the example he set for us!
Robinson learned how to exercise self-control — to answer insults, violence and injustice with silence. A model of unselfish team play, he earned the respect of his teammates and, eventually, the opposition.

I am especially struck by the phrase: "I'm looking for a ballplayer with guts enough not to fight back." I'm struck by it because it reminds me of something Jesus would say. We live in a world where we think we need the guts and the courage to stand up for ourselves, making sure that we are never mistreated, making sure that every wrong against us is avenged, making sure that no one takes advantage of us. Our first instinct is to fight back.

And Jesus says to us, "I'm looking for a disciple with guts enough not to fight back." That's the example he set for us. And that's the example we are expected to follow.

"For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 'He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.' When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly." (1 Peter 2:19-23 NIV)

Do you have enough guts NOT to fight back?

For more information, see Larry's Schwartz's article, "Jackie Changed the Face of Sports," http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00016431.html

 
Share Related
Print This ArticlePrint this Article

Send it to a FriendSend it to a Friend

Heartlight encourages you to share this material with others in church bulletins, personal emails and other non-commercial uses. Please see our Usage Guidelines for more information.
Search

      © 2006 Alan Smith. Used by permission. This devotional was reprinted from Thought for the Day.

      Title: "The Guts to Not Fight Back!"
      Author: Alan Smith
      Publication Date: June 14, 2006

 
Just for Men
 
 
Hundreds more articles
like this are in the
ARTICLE ARCHIVE
...or search to find an article by keywords:

  Visit our Sponsors

Heartlight only exists because of your support! Click above to visit a sponsor, or donate to join us in our ministry.

   
May we suggest...
See the Morning
by Chris Tomlin
See the MorningAward-winning artist Tomlin offers a whole new set of soul-inspiring easy-to-sing songs about God's faithfulness.

 
 
Alan Smith Alan Smith ministers with the Church of Christ in White House, Tennessee and publishes the email devotional "Thought for the Day."

RSS Feed of All Heartlight ArticlesAll Heartlight Articles

'Just for Men' RSS FeedJust for Men

RSS Feed of Alan Smith's ArticlesAuthor Alan Smith

More Heartlight Feeds

Subscribe
Get Heartlight articles and devotionals by email FREE every day!
Daily Heartlight
Today's Verse
What Jesus Did!
Quotemeal

More Information

 

 

RSS Feeds  |  Advertising  |  Support Heartlight   |   Help  |  Contact Us  
HOME     topTOP HEARTLIGHT® Magazine is produced by Heartlight, Inc. HEARTLIGHT is a registered service mark of Heartlight, Inc. Copyright © 1996-2007. Heartlight is supported by Westover Hills Church, Southern Hills Church, and loving Christians from around the world. Scripture quotations are taken from the Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. Used by permission. All rights reserved.