Just like Psalms, the Book of Proverbs is a book of the Bible included in any Bible reading plan. One will often hear, “read a Psalm, read a Proverb, and read a chapter of the Gospels” in a typical plan to grow in one’s Bible reading. Most people think of the short, memorable sayings as a proverb, but the Book of Proverbs is so much more. As you prepare to read about some of the connections between the book and the world of baseball, take some time to watch both the Read Scripture overview of Proverbs and the Bible Project’s teaching about the book.

Due up in the Bottom of the Ninth:
- Sayings containing wisdom
- Reacting to those outside of wisdom
- Probabilities

Sayings containing wisdom

This is the third time I’ve referred to Bull Durham in my Baseball Guy’s Bible Guide series, and I’m guessing this won’t be the last. It contains so much wit and wisdom of baseball accessible to someone who hasn’t played the game at any significant level. One of the best parts of the film is its quotable nature.

The Sporting News has this page dedicated to the 37 best quotes from the classic movie. Each one brings you back to that rewatchable moment and taps into the fond memories within the story. It also makes you realize how often you’ve incorporated a word or phrase in your coaching or life since? What coach hasn’t watched their team drag themselves of the field and call them “lollygaggers”? I’ve been asked “what do you think?” many times in a professional setting only to reply, “I don’t think…it’s can only hurt the ball club.” I’ve ruminated on the truth of strikeouts being Fascist many times as I’ve watched a young power pitcher drive up his pitch count when the democratic method of the groundball pitcher is so much more effective.

Even more important, is the wisdom contained inside some of those quotable moments. An author from Psychology Today wrote an article titled “The Wisdom of Bull Durham” highlighting the depth of truth on topics such as success, self-consciousness, and life skills. May we all respect a winning streak when we encounter one!

Short, clever sayings are what most people think of when they think of the Book of Proverbs. However, those memorable moments really only sit within chapters 10-29. There are plenty, but there is plenty more to understand. The whole book provides us with practical skills for living well in God’s world. It’s not just a collection of quick quips, but rather much more wisdom and application. The whole book is worth our time and reflection to create a life will lived.

Reacting to those outside of wisdom

On the evening of Tuesday, August 9, the Pittsburgh Pirates lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-4. However, the news of that game was not about the loss, but about what rookie second baseman Rodolfo Castro lost out of his back pocket. While sliding into third base, the recent call-up’s cell phone slid out of his back pocket and onto the infield dirt for the world to see.

It was a sight no one in the game had seen before and the variety of reactions made the situation even more interesting. Those closest to the situation forgave it quickly as a simple mistake. In fact, with the amount of information each player now accesses during a game on their mobile devices, the fact that this hadn’t happened sooner is more amazing.

But, in today’s inflammatory Twitter platforms, the old school baseball guys were first to voice their displeasure (I like to refer to these guys as the “old men yelling at clouds” club). They create poles of opposition where only their perspective is acceptable. Of course, on the surface, a young player’s smartphone sliding out of his pocket is unacceptable. But to judge someone immediately to get likes, retweets, and social media reactions while you’re yelling at the clouds isn’t fair and misses the nuance of the situation.

And this is the challenge when looking at someone living outside of wisdom. The Book of Proverbs, coupled with the grace of the Gospel, provides us with excellent ways to navigate these sticky situations. I recently heard that Jesus came in “grace and truth” but to always remember that “grace comes first” in the phrase. As Jesus said, “May the one of you without sin throw the first stone.” Need we remind the old school guys about the vials of cocaine sitting in the back pocket of players during the cocaine era? I guess I’m okay with a cell phone with scouting reports sliding out of a back pocket of that…

Probabilities

Baseball has always been a game of playing the probabilities. It’s never been a thing that works in absolutes. We throw a certain pitch in a given situation because it gives the team the best chance to win. In fact, we’re seeing teams throw certain pitches more and more frequently because of the low probability of that pitch being hit for a damaging result. It may not be 100%, but the higher the probability of a positive outcome, the more likely we will see it during a game.

This is the underlying premise of Proverbs. Proverbs are not promises. There are no guarantees. “Train a child up” is a probability, but not a guarantee. Proverbs focus on the general rule, not the exceptions. This is why we need all of the wisdom books together. Proverbs along with Job and Ecclesiastes leads us to a better picture of living your life well.

Ultimately, we have the opportunity to display the wisdom of the Word by applying it t your daily life. Begin with the fear of of the Lord as the starting place of all wisdom, keep His definitions of good and evil in mind, and you will begin to represent the brilliant young teacher in the Book of Proverbs. This might feel simplistic, but when you connect this truth with the critic of Ecclesiastes and the old, weathered man of Job, you begin to display a clearer picture of the blessing the probabilities of God might present to your life.