Life As a Game, Batter Up!

Did a Prophet’s message have the dynamics of Coaching Little League Baseball? Can a Parent’s words of encouragement to a young budding athlete can have the same effect as holy words delivered by a Prophet?

To explore this notion, an observation must be made with respect to a little leaguer readying for an “at bat.” An over-the top coach might convey a message of “swing for the fences!” In contrast, a pragmatic coach might advise the batter to “just try to make contact.”

In the Hebrew Bible’s Twelve Prophets Section, the Prophet Zechariah was delivered a message: “The word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying: Thus spoke the Lord, Master of Legions, saying “Judge with truthful justice, and perform acts of kindness and mercy toward one another. Do not oppress the widow and the orphan, the stranger and the poor, and do not think in your hearts of wronging one another.” Zechariah 7:8-10

What is to be made of this statement? The last line of it expands beyond the Decalogue with respect to prohibitions against forms of thought. “Thou shall not covet” is what the Ten Commandments promulgates. The Book of Zechariah’s words provide additional direction as to one’s thought.

Why?

Thoughts can become reality. In essence, much Human activity is generated by thought. Thus, eliminating certain thoughts can reduce such conduct. Thus, diminishing thoughts of wronging others could reduce, among things, violence and crime. In contrast, encouraging people to think about committing violence and harm towards others has the potentiality to create thought that will transform into such a reality.

From reading the words, one must believe that this Prophet’s message was delivered in a time of societal conflict and upheaval. We must imagine as to what, at the time, was the nature of the wronging.

In the end, the message delivered by Zechariah was vague. This vagueness, arguably, was pragmatic. In the game of life, the vagueness of the term “wronging” allowed for a greater likelihood of promoting positive conduct. In contrast, an over-the-top moral aspiration may have led to “strike out.”

Be well!!

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