With the Red Sox playing the Dodgers in the World Series this year, I am reminded of a special gift to our family in 2007.
On June 9, 2018, Jon Albert was named a CNN Hero for ‘making extraordinary contributions that make a difference in our world.’ Jon’s wife died of breast cancer in 2006. Witnessing the impact the struggle against cancer had on their two children and experiencing the trial as a husband and caretaker, Jon started The Jack and Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation to help families dealing with life-threatening cancer. Literally hundreds of families have been blessed by this generous organization.
In the summer of 2007, my family was chosen by the Foundation to visit Boston and attend a Red Sox game in Fenway Park. We were invited to go onto the field during batting practice, and Taylor hoped to get an autograph from David Ortiz (‘Big Papi’) or Manny Ramirez, the only two players he was familiar with on the American League team.
Kinsey stood near the Red Sox dugout and heard two fans yell, “Hey Mikey!” They knew the player and walked over and gave hugs and talked. Kinsey was standing an arm’s length away. She motioned me over and said, “Tell Taylor I can get this player’s autograph; I am standing right next to him.” I delivered the message and Taylor asked, “Who is he?” I answered, “I don’t know… some guy named Mikey.” Taylor said, “I don’t want his autograph if we don’t even know who he is.” So the invitation was declined.
In the first inning, a batter was introduced: “Third baseman, Mike Lowell!” The home crowd roared. Kinsey said, “That’s Mikey!”
Mike hit a home run. Taylor moaned. Karlyn laughed. The Red Sox ended up winning the World Series later that year. Guess who was named Most Valuable Player? Mike Lowell, third baseman for the Boston Red Sox…
Jesus did not say to the woman at the well: “If you knew who I was, you would ask Me for an autograph.” He did say: “If you knew the gift of God and Who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you Living Water.” (John 4:10)
We know who He is…
“On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of Living Water will flow from within him.’ By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive.” John 7:37-39