In the minds of many, Ron Polk’s Baseball Playbook is the seminal work regarding coaching the game and planning practice. It is literally exhaustive, covering everything from bunt coverages to relays to batting practice. In a sense, it is the Bible for coaches and teams. Need to know how to plan a practice? Well, it is written in the Baseball Playbook. Want a diagram of a first and third situation? It is written. Not sure of how to develop your sign system? It is written by Polk. He covers it all.
The Baseball Playbook is the answer to every baseball situation.
Likewise, when Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, there was one answer for every temptation.
Three times he was tempted. Three times he responded with “It is written.”
Jesus didn’t think about it. He didn’t weigh the pros and cons. He didn’t stop to have a debate. He simply knew the Scripture and followed it.
It is written. That was all he needed to know.
In our own lives on and off the field, we face a variety of situations for which we often feel unprepared. Yet, our lack of preparedness can be overcome if we know what is written. No more questions. No more debates. No more pros and cons. If it is written, it must be obeyed.
The next time you and I face a temptation, there is one answer: It is written.
Jesus knew the word and lived by it. On and off the field, that’s the one answer for us in every temptation. He showed the way. Let’s follow it.
Lord Jesus, fill me with your word so that I might respond as you did in temptation. Amen.
