Baseball icon and legend Yogi Berra passed away on September
22nd in Montclair, New Jersey.
He was age 90. His health had been failing as evidenced partly by his failure
to at least appear at the Yankees
old-timers game this season. His wife,
Carmen, to whom he was married for some 65 years, died back in 2014.
He
had a career batting average of .285 with
358 home runs and 1,430 runs batted in – an amazing feat for someone
who stood only about 5'7". Even
more amazing is that he struck out just over 400 times in his career, a number
that is unheard of for someone who hit with the kind of power he did. He is
one of only five players to win the American League Most Valuable Player Award
three times and is regarded as one of the greatest catchers in baseball
history.
Yes, Yogi Berra is one of the all-time greats of the game.
His name is mentioned along with the immortals - those who stand
above all others like Ruth, DiMaggio, Gehrig and Mantle. But aside from his
remarkable career on the field and his selfless military service for his
country off of it, Yogi is sometimes best known for his wit and for sayings he
uttered now known as 'Yogisms". Any
casual search online will list these incredibly simple, humorous and sometime
profound utterances. Here are just a few:
- No one goes there nowadays, it's too crowded.
- Baseball is 90% mental and the other half is physical.
- A nickel ain't worth a dime anymore.
- Always go to other people's funerals, otherwise they won't
come to yours.
- It gets late early out here.
- Never answer an anonymous letter.
- You can observe a lot by just watching.
- It's like déjà vu all over again.
- It was impossible to get a conversation going, everybody
was talking too much.
Then there are a few of his more famous ones
like these:
- When you come to a fork in the road, take it.
- The future ain't what it used to be.
- It ain't over till it's over.
Whether or not he said every one is up for debate. But even
Yogi, with his classic sense of wit, said, "I never said most
of the things I said." Who knows if he was again kidding around or just
being so typically humble?
Berra was indeed special and unique. He will be missed by
many in and out of sports. But now he is in eternity. His glorious
90 years on earth are done, and he left behind much to remember him by. But a
few of the above quotes can be loosely applied to that
greatest decision that everyone must eventually face.
According to the Bible, everyone must at some point choose
where they will spend eternity. Even
doing nothing is one of those choices – the wrong one! Scripture teaches that,
“All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” For that reason, each
will come to a mighty "fork in the road" spiritually speaking. That is described in Matthew 7:13-14
where God describes two opposing paths. "Enter by the narrow gate; for
wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction , and there are
many who go in by it. Because narrow is
the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who
find it.” Again, there are two distinct "forks" – one destined for judgement and wrath and the other for glory!
One other Yogi quote is the one typically used in the sporting
realm. "It ain't over till
it's over.” In other words, there is always time to mount a comeback. If you have never yet accepted Christ as Savior, that opportunity
still exists. It ain’t over – yet! But one
day, and you know not when, the chance
for redemption will be over. A moment will arrive when there will be no second chance
to enter God’s family and spend eternity with Him in heaven. It will be over – one way or another!
Yogi is also credited with saying, “The future ain’t what it
used to be.” Acts 16:31 says, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you
will be saved.” All who trust in Him to fully forgive their sins redirect their eternal future instantly. Or, as Mr. Berra put it, for these,
“the future isn’t what it used to be.” For all who choose that fork that leads to the "narrow road", the
future is the exact opposite of what it previously was. It has taken a 180-degree turn since all striving to please God through meaningless good
works is over – forever.
Thanks Yogi for a lifetime of memories. But thank you Lord for a new life in Christ and eternity in heaven!
“And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal
life, and this life is in His Son. He
who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have
life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of
God, that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:11-13)
Bill Breckenridge
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