A Charge to the Class of 2007: <i>"Everything I Learned about Life I Learned Coaching Tee-Ball"</i>

Last weekend I was honored to give the Charge to the Class of 2007 at ACU's May Commencement. Given that many of the themes of that Charge have occupied us on this blog, I thought I'd share with you a sketch of my talk. Note that what follows is not a transcript as about 75% of it was story-telling and working without notes. The take-home points I did read and these are the parts in quotes below. The first and third pictures were taken by my wife and the second was taken by Katie, our good friend.

Taking a cue from Robert Fulghum's Everything I ever really needed to know I learned in kindergarten I entitled my Charge:

Everything I Learned about Life I Learned Coaching Tee-Ball

Lesson 1: You don’t keep score in Tee-Ball. (Well, you learn to keep score in a different way.)
If you have ever seen a tee-ball game, you know why we don't keep score. I'm reminded of the time during a game when I turned around and found the entire left side of my team (infield and outfield) missing. They were huddled together in a little group out in center-field. Confused, I called to them, "Hey Team! Why aren't you in your positions?" A scared little voice called back: "Ants!" Apparently, my second-basemen saw an ant and freaked out half my team.

Welcome to West Texas, where the children run from ants.

So you can see why we don't keep score in tee-ball. But, actually, we do keep score. We just keep score in a different way. We don't keep track of outs or runs or errors. But we do keep score in the currency of relationships and friendships.

So I said to the graduates: "Class of 2007, this world keeps score. It has its measures of success. Often in ways that are destructive, mean-spirited, and petty. But we want to encourage you to keep score in a different way. To measure your success in life the way we do in tee ball, by the depth and breath of the relationships you have in your life. For in your family and in your friendships will lie your greatest and most lasting successes."

Lesson 2: The most important thing is the snack
After every tee-ball game there is a snack. Usually a drink with some cookies. For whatever reason this is the most anticipated thing for the kids. It is THE MOST important thing. Even more important than the game itself. (I actually pulled out some goldfish crackers and Capri-Suns during the talk stating that I was under the assumption that the commencement speaker was in charge of snacks. It was great fun handing out snacks after the ceremony.)

Why is the snack so important? My kids eat these snacks everyday. It is ordinary fare. But there is something extraordinary and magical (supernatural?) that happens when we share food and drink with new friends and old.

So I said to the graduates: "It is a striking feature of the Christian faith that the central symbol of our worship is a family meal. And like in tee ball, sharing that meal symbolizes the great vision of our faith: We are all family. We are to live in a world as if there were no strangers. Class of 2007, I challenge you to live out that vision. Live in the world as if there were no strangers."

Lesson 3: Some people need a tee to get into the game
In tee-ball you see a wide spread of talent. Some kids can hit the ball out of the air while others cannot. For these kids we use the tee. Some people need a little help to get into the game.

My point to the graduates: "Class or 2007, you are a mix of hard work and blessing. We celebrate your hard work today. But we pause to note that you are also extraordinarily blessed. Not everyone gets to go to college or get a graduate degree. Not everyone gets to attend ACU. And not everyone gets the support of family ringing you today. In sum, not everyone in this world is as blessed as you are. Some people need a tee to get into the game. Class of 2007, I challenge you to continue to work in the world to help people tee it up. We call that justice. Work on behalf of the weak and the poor and the marginalized. Take all your hard work and blessing and focus it into leaving this world better than how you found it."

Lesson 4: At the end of the game everyone comes home.
At the end of every tee-ball game, when the last batter hits, everyone runs home. That is how the game ends. Everyone comes home.

So my final point: "Class of 2007, home plate tells us how and where to run. And the same is true in life. We are surrounded by home today. And those homes have helped define your direction in life.

But we all know that our true home is not of this world. As the old hymn says, 'This world is not my home, I’m just a’passing through.' Class of 2007, the greatest lesson of tee ball is this: Know where home plate is. It will define how you run the race. Many have gone before us, and we will scatter across the globe after this ceremony. But if we remember where home plate is, we will all gather once again, along with a great cloud of witnesses who are watching us today.

Enjoy the game, Class of 2007, and when it’s over we’ll see you at home plate."

The End

Post-Script:
During the morning ceremony my family could not attend since, ironically, the boys had a baseball game. (Thanks to Greg who stood in for me as coach!) They rushed from the game to the afternoon ceremony to hear me. It was great to see them arrive in their baseball uniforms given the topic of my Charge: