Again, if the trumpet makes an unclear call, who can get ready for battle? (1 Corinthians 14:8)

The leader decides and sends his troops to battle with the call of the trumpet in ancient times through the 20th century (maybe still in the Navy). Garry Wills, historian and author of the book that bore a title based on Paul's imagery, "Certain Trumpets (1995)," highlights historical figures who exemplified certain leadership traits and those who were the antithesis.

In his chapter on sports, he writes about Carl Stotz. It's timely given the fact that we watched the Litle League World Series recently. Carl founded the Little League. Wills writes, "Being the imitator of a hero is not the same thing as following a leader." Stotz envisioned a league that would allow boys to play and eventually end up in a World Series all its own. The rules he used to set it up avoided many pitfalls he saw in pro baseball. He developed a point system that would allow teams to draft but not be able to draft the "all stars." He made sure the kids played in the boundaries of their school zone and played in age brackets reflective of their peer groups in school. He put extra players on the field to encourage more kids getting playing time. The kids were to be coached by men who were committed to development of character using sports.

To read the chapter is enjoyable to see a man with a vision to shape young boys into men with positive role models, but it is interesting to note the emphasis isn't on "winning." Given today's rhetoric of "we are just creating a nation of people who've done nothing but get participation trophies," it's interesting to note that the origins of youth sports, like Little League, were designed to focus on character development by giving kids structured activities to engage in play and learn in the process. When did the objective change to become a point of contention that made "winning" the objective, to the point that it stirs anger in some who comment that "these kids are spoiled by always getting participation trophies." Let's leave those analyses to the experts and focus on another aspect of this.

Paul writes about this interestingly enough, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize?... but we receive an imperishable wreath." (1 Corinthians 9) Ironically in this discussion, we are the recipients of a participation trophy in our faith. It isn't merit based. It has no complex training schedule. Our imperishable wreath is based on nothing we do. It is all there as a gift.

We all caught the video clip of the young man beaned by a pitch from a pitcher in Texas in the current Little League World Series. The young lad from Oklahoma, after getting on his feet and being okay'ed to play, trotted down to first base. He looked at the mound and noted the pitcher couldn't compose himself. He trotted to the mound and embraced the pitcher in an effort to calm him down. The Texas coach and team came out at that point and did the same to the pitcher as the boy trotted back over to first.

Masculinity isn't about "winning." Masculinity is about creating the attitude of a winner, but what does that look like? If we read Paul further, we read that Christ didn't see equality with God as something to be used to His own advantage (Philippians 2:6). In faith, masculinity is about complete humility in the sense that we are given a gift of faith based on nothing we can or will do. Our actions do not please God to the point of merit. We are forgiven and given grace based on our faith in Christ. In turn, we extend that forgiveness and grace to others.

We pray we can exhibit the grace needed when we get "beaned" in life. We pray we can exhibit the same humility Christ did when He followed His Father's will.