A pastor friend of mine were catching up back in June and he recommended a book to me about my hometown baseball team – the Tampa Bay Rays. Now, it should be stated that my Major League Baseball affiliations have been somewhat wonky. To be honest, I was a fan from a distance. Growing up, my dad and I would watch Braves Baseball. He did this because it was his team growing up, I did it because there was no other team near us (these were the days when FL could only tout itself as home for spring training). My grandmother was a Yankee fan and for some reason, I just hated the yankees, so I rooted for the RedSox just to irritate her (it was more a joke than being mean). When my grandmother passed, it seemed silly to root for a team that I didn’t really have any affection for, so I migrated back to Tampa for my second team. That being said, I wouldn’t say I was a huge fan, but more of a casual observer.
The book that was recommended is called The Extra 2% and it’s about the new owners takeover of my tampa team. I didn’t think much of the recommendation at first, but one afternoon I was looking for something to read that wasn’t church related. I downloaded the book to my iPad and started reading. It tells the story of how horrible the Tampa Bay Devil Rays were and why and then how new owners came in offering new leadership and new possibilities to a team and city that had all the world stacked up against them. One of the things they did was hire a brilliant and unconventional manager in Joe Maddon. In my mind, Joe looks like an old school grumpy baseball manager, but in reality, Joe is tech-savy, entrepeunerial maverick who “trusts his process” and does the work that makes the process make sense.It’s often said of Joe Maddon that he always looks for the best in people. His friends rarely state that he says things cross and he’s always looking at leadership as a way to lead forward and encourage. As I read the chapter on Joe, I found myself really intrigued by this character. In order to improve team morale and built chemistry and trust Joe has: shaved his head and grown a mow hawk, he’s dressed as Elvis and given out tshirts that encourage laughter and encouragement. Joe embraces technology like he’s a 16 year old teenager. He helps his players not just on the field but by helping them connecting to the real world. Joe is a huge reason that the team went from basement dwellers to the AL champions in 2008.
The thing about Joe Maddon is that he has learned two values that I’m being drawn back to. Ideals that guide him and release him to really engage and embrace others.
The first is Knowing Self. Benjamin Franklin once said that there are 3 hard things in the world: “Diamonds, Steel and to know one’s self.” Joe knows where he comes from and he knows what he’s becoming. He doesn’t shy away from being who he is. He isn’t afraid of failing because he’s more intent on letting the process of life and growth have it’s say. He researches for his job and for life and as part of that work he trusts what he does. He knows that he won’t be the like other managers or men. His desire is to be himself.
The second ideal that Joe has captured is to “look for the best in others.” He doesn’t point fingers. He doesn’t go negative on his players. He finds ways to build up and to encourage. It’s a lesson he learned at a young age and because of that lesson Joe connects with players on deeply personal levels. When non-English speaking players arrived at his minor league teams, Joe was the one helping them in all sorts of daily exchanges that we often take for granted – like knowing how to use American money!
As I was reading about Joe Maddon and the Rays, it dawned on me that the two ideals of Joe Maddon were very Christlike. Jesus routinely taught a grace and love of others. He showed an acceptance and willingness to enter into the lives of other people that was shocking. He always loved people where they were and then he invited them to transformation and change. Jesus was challenged from every direction and yet because he was completely aware of who he was and where he was going, the detractors didn’t derail him. It was an invitation to a lifestyle that the he then shared within his closest circle – being a disciple meant being like your teacher.
When the apostle and missionary Paul visited the church at Thessalonica, the good news exploded and was joyfully accepted. It was accepted until some “agitators” came along and stirred up trouble. These agitators expelled Paul and continued to cause dissension in the church. Paul wrote a letter to the young church encouraging them to hold on to what they had been taught and to keep lifting up and encouraging one another. Paul says that they should live as children of the light and not bumble around in the dark or as if we were in a stupor. He says ignore the negative irritators and keep pursuing the higher things. In a way, Paul is saying the same thing Joe Maddon says when he’s faced with some baseball challenge – trust who you are, trust your growth and keep moving forward.
It’s good reminder for me and an invitation. Know myself – keep understanding and keep growing so that I’ll be more like Jesus – and in the process keep thinking the best of others. I believe if I lived this way more often than I do, it might just erase a lot of unneeded stress and anxiety. I hope you’ll take some time to know yourself, to let the Love of Jesus change you and develop you and that you’ll take some time to think well of others. Who knows, in the process you might just silence an agitator and experience a whole new grace along the way!
Grace and Peace!!!