Royals Pitcher Scott Sullivan Asks What’s Your Story

This morning we had a special guest, Scott Sullivan, speak during our normal Tuesday morning meeting.  Sullivan was a pitcher (one of those great “submarine pitchers” I love to watch) for the Cincinnati Reds (1995-2003), Chicago White Sox (2003), and finished his career with the Kansas City Royals (2004).  As usually is the case with those who have been through the riggors of MLB, he had quite a story to tell, but he made the point that we all have stories to tell, good and bad.

What many of these stories have in common is where each of them were in their life during their career and where and how God has taken them to the point where they are right now.  All of us are always a work in progress but through circumstances and situations in each of our own lives, we have made it to the point we are today.  The question is what are we going to do with the time we have left?  Sullivan suggested a book that has meant a lot to him, Stu Weber’s Tender Warrior, and left us with three questions to think about and discuss.  They are:

1. What is Your Story?

Each of us has a story if we are still living and breathing.  If you are a Believer, that story is called your testimony, and as a Believer, each does have a testimony.  Have you ever written down your testimony?  Some may scoff and write down a few brief sentences, but some of us took many years to come to our decision and our testimony is not just one event or thing that happened, it is years of work and living that got us to the point we are at today.

If you are not a Believer specifically, you still have your own story to tell.   What has shaped your life up to this point.  Is it people, friends, family, where you live, how much money you have or don’t have, what car you drive?  I would encourage each of us to put some thought into what exactly is our story.  What were the specifics that got us where we are today.

2. What Do You Want Your Legacy To Be?

Each of us will leave a legacy in one form or another.  We may not have a sphere of infulence like a major league ball player, politician, or holywood star, but each of us will leave behind the story of our life.  What do you want that to be?  Do you know?  If you do, how are you moving in that direction to fulfill that part of your life.

3. What is Your Plan to Finish Strong?

None of us are destined to stick around for very long.  Some longer than others but either way, we are not long for this world.  How can we finish our lives out strong.  Do we have a plan, or do we care?  I think it may be harder for those of us who are for the most part healthy, relatively young-ish (maybe at heart), and feel like we are full of life to really appreciate the time we have left and make a conscious decision to finish out strong.

I think about Richard Quick and what he is going through right now in his fight with a Malignant Brain Tumor, or my mother-in-law who did the same thing.  What is our plan to finish strong and live the rest of the life we have been given with conviction, purpose, and with a plan, to at some point hear what Jesus said in a parable in Matthew 25 where He said:

His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

Thanks Scott for making your way over to our side of the world (funny how these Tuscaloosa, Alabama people end up down here in Auburn, and we are thrilled) and thank you for giving us a few words of encouragement to think about.