And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
Genesis 18:17-19
Don Sutton was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998, ten years after the end of his storied pitching career. In twenty-three seasons, most of them pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sutton rarely led the league in any particular statistical category. He only won more than 20 games in a single season one time in his career. He never threw a no hitter. Yet Sutton won more than 300 games in his career, something only twenty-three other pitchers have managed. Sutton described himself as “a grinder and a mechanic. I never considered myself flamboyant or exceptional. But all my life I’ve found a way to get the job done.” Â
While the world may place a great deal of value on being flashy, there is far more value in being consistent and dependable. All of us know what it feels like to have someone fail to deliver on a promise or fail to meet expectations. All of us unfortunately also know what it feels to fall short on something we were supposed to do. While we will never be perfect, we should always strive to be consistent and fulfill our responsibilities and obligations. That is one of the most important things God is looking for in our lives. “Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:1-2). The people who know us best should know that they can rely on us to be faithful.
