22 Sep, 2008
The House that Ruth Built
In New York, fans dropped thousands of dollars to attend one last game at Yankee Stadium. Some tickets with a face value ranging between $95-$280 sold for over $3,000 each - and people paid it . . . just to get one final memory in Yankee Stadium. The stadium, which was built in 1923, has become more than just a landmark to baseball fans around the world, but has failed to meet historical landmark status, according to the National Register of Historical Places and the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. Therefore, the building that has housed so many baseball greats (including Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, and Mickey Mantle) has seen its last crowd and hosted its final game against the Baltimore Orioles Saturday night. Before long, the building will be nothing but a memory for baseball fans and will be replaced with a $1.6 billion stadium nearby, in the Bronx.
photo courtesy of googleimages.com
What does God's Story scripture teach us about our hearts?
So many of the baseball fans who have been to a game at Yankee Stadium, spent time in the stands, countless dollars on the tickets, and hours cheering for their favorite athletes are brokenhearted over the loss of such a beloved building. It has become a part of who they are. Nevertheless, regardless of their investments, this 85 year old "House that Ruth Built" is run down and about to be destroyed.
Now, there is nothing wrong with spending money on sports tickets, or anything else that may have special meaning to you. Only you know your heart and the motivation behind where you spend your money; however, this story is a great reminder that things of this world are. . . well, simply that . . . of this world! Which means they are only temporary.
Eventually, everything comes to ruin, whether by moths, rust, thieves, or simply the passing of time. God wants us to understand that the things that we choose to invest a significant amount of our time, energy, or money into are the things that we will hold dear to our hearts. And if we are not careful and do not invest wisely, we will be left with empty hearts and nothing but a small pile of dust.
How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?
- Pray and thank God for all that He has blessed you with and given you an opportunity to be a part of. Then, ask God to search your heart and point out any areas that you may be investing too much time, energy, or money into that may be stealing your heart from Him.
- If someone were to look at your life and where you spend your time and money, would they see God? Where might they say your heart is?
- Find a trusted friend or parent to help keep you accountable by checking in with you regularly about where you're laying your "treasures" and where your heart is most invested. Give them permission to call you out on it when things get out of whack.
How can we connect today's story, God's Story scripture, and our story to others?
- Talk to your friends about what's happening with Yankee Stadium and use the story to lead into a conversation about what God says about our treasures and our hearts.
- Share with a friend how you've seen this play out in your life - do you have a time when you've invested a lot of time and energy into something only to find yourself and your heart lost in it all? Talk to them about the differences between putting your faith and love into "The House Ruth Built" and the Kingdom that God is building.
- January 2009 [4]
- December 2008 [23]
- November 2008 [19]
- October 2008 [22]
- September 2008 [22]
- August 2008 [19]
- July 2008 [22]
- June 2008 [13]
- May 2008 [20]
- April 2008 [22]
- March 2008 [21]
- February 2008 [18]
- January 2008 [20]
- December 2007 [18]
- November 2007 [15]
- October 2007 [19]
- September 2007 [18]
- August 2007 [12]
- July 2007 [12]
- June 2007 [10]
- May 2007 [12]
- April 2007 [10]
- March 2007 [11]
- February 2007 [14]
- January 2007 [7]
- December 2006 [4]
- November 2006 [13]
- October 2006 [17]
- September 2006 [11]
- August 2006 [16]
- July 2006 [10]
- June 2006 [3]
