GOD'S PERFECTION

[Guest guest]

GOD’S PERFECTION

 

“None He disregarded or disrespected” Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch. XXIII.

 

In Brooklyn, New York, Chush is a school that caters to learning disabled

children. Some children remain in Chush for their entire school career, while

other can be mainstreamed into conventional schools.

 

At a Chush fundraising dinner, the father of a Chush child delivered a speech

that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school

and its dedicated staff, he cried out, “Where is the perfection in my son Shay?

Everything God does is done with perfection. But my child cannot understand

things as other children do. My child cannot remember facts and figures as

other children do. Where is God’s perfection?”

 

The audience was shocked by the question, pained by the father’s anguish and

stilled by the piercing query. “I believe,” the father answered, “that when God

brings a child like this into the world, the perfection that He seeks is in the

way people react to this child.” He then told the following story about his son

Shay:

 

One afternoon, Shay and his father walk past a park where some boys Shay knew

were playing baseball. Shay asked, “Do you think they will let me play?” Shay’s

father knew that his son was not at all athletic and that most boys would not

want him on their team. But Shay’s father understood that if his son was chosen

to play it would give him a comfortable sense of belonging.

 

Shay’s father approached one of the boys in the field and asked if Shay could

play. The boy looked around for guidance from his teammates. Getting none, he

took matters into his own hands and said, “We are losing by six runs and the

game is in the eighth innings. I guess he can be on our team and we’ll try to

put him up to bat in the ninth inning.” Shay’s father was ecstatic as Shay

smiled broadly.

 

Shay was told to put on a glove and go out to play short centre field. In the

bottom of the eighth inning, Shay’s team scored a few runs but was still behind

three. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay’s team scored again and now with

two outs and the bases loaded with potential winning run on base. Shay was

scheduled to be up. Would the team actually let Shay bat at this juncture and

give away their chance to win the game?

 

Surprisingly, Shay WAS GIVEN BAT. Everyone knew that it was all but impossible

because Shay didn’t even know how to hold the bat properly, let alone hit with

it. However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher moved up a few steps

to lob the ball in softly so Shay should at least be able to make contact.

 

The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. One of Shay’s teammates

came to Shay and together they hold the bat and faced the pitcher waiting for

the next pitch. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball

softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay and his teammate swung at the

ball and together they hit a slow ground ball to the pitcher. The pitcher

picked up the soft grounder and could easily have thrown the ball to the first

baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have ended the game. Instead,

the pitcher took the ball and threw it on a high arc to right field, far beyond

reach of the first baseman.

 

Everyone started yelling, “Shay, run to first. Run to first. “Never in his life

had Shay run to first. He scampered down the baseline wide-eyed and startled.

By the time he reached first base, the right fielder had the ball. He could

have thrown the ball to the second baseman who would tag out Shay, who was

still running. But the right fielder understood what the pitcher’s intentions

were, so he threw the ball high and far over the third baseman’s head.

 

Everyone yelled, “Run to second, run to second.” Shay ran towards second base as

the runners ahead of him deliriously circled the bases towards home. As Shay

reached second base, the opposing team short stop ran to him, turned him in the

direction of third base and shouted, “Run to third.” As Shay rounded third, the

boys from both teams ran behind him screaming, “Shay run home.” Shay ran home,

stepped on home plate and all 18 boys lifted him on their shoulders and made

him the hero, as he had just a ‘grand slam’ and won the game for his team.

 

“That day,” said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, “those

18 boys reached their level of God’s perfection.”

 

(Source: Mira, Jan-Feb 2005)

 

TAMASO MA JYOTIRGAMAYA…

 

We become what we love, if we love the world, its pleasures, possessions, power,

we become worldly. If we love God, we become divine.