A Positive Lesson from MLB

With Super Bowl XLIII now history, some us look forward to the start of Major League Baseball. Unfortunately, most of the news about MLB recently has been bad. Some of the game’s biggest stars have become tainted with allegations of steroid use. But let me wash away those sordid stories with one of great inspiration and instruction.

Back in the mid 80s Tim Burke started pitching for the Montreal Expos. Burke set a National League record with 78 appearances in his rookie year in 1985 and won his first eight major league decisions. By 1987 he became the leader of the Expos’ bullpen, going 7-0, with 18 saves and an outstanding ERA of 1.19. He was voted to the NL all-star team in 1989 when he saved 28 games and went 9-3 for the season.

When Tim and his wife discovered that they were unable to have children, after much prayer, they decided to adopt four, special-needs children: two from Korea, one from Vietnam, and one from Guatemala.

As a consequence of his growing family, after considerable prayer and soul-searching, Tim made what many considered an unbelievable decision. He decided to walk away from his baseball career. You see, he had discovered that the travel involved in professional baseball significantly hampered his ability to fulfill his roles as husband and father.

When he left the stadium for the last time, reporters asked why he was retiring. “Baseball is going to do just fine without me,” he said. “It’s not going to miss a beat. But I’m the only father my children have. I’m the only husband my wife has. And they need me a lot more than baseball does.”

Tim Burke’s decision had eternal consequences. He chose to honor His God-given responsibilities and forsake a career that offered wealth and fame, but at the expense of his family. Burke is thus a powerful role model for today’s conflicted world.