Another Role Model

Looks like Tim Ellsworth is the guy to point me to some role models in professional sports. After pointing me to a story about Trent Dilfer on Friday, today I came across a link to this interview with the Houston Astros' Lance Berkman about faith and baseball. The last two questions just made Berkman one of my favorite people in professional sports. If only he played for the Braves.

Q. What role does faith play in your life?

A. It's most important. Most people want to compartmentalize their job, family and religion. But when you're a Christian, it permeates every aspect of your life. It's who I am, and it comes out in every arena.

Faith also helps me not get caught up in the hype of being a local celebrity. Some get a feeling of elevated importance. In 200 years, no one will know I played. I try to keep an eternal perspective.

Q. How are faith and baseball intertwined? And do you ever pray for hits?

A. I'm not here to say I'm an authority on how God operates, but as for praying for hits, I'm not into that.

I think God cares about me - he cares about our struggles - but I don't believe that if I pray for a hit, he'll get me a hit.

If I'm in a slump, I'll bring that burden to him. You grow through trials. You learn from difficult times. God didn't spare his own son, and he doesn't spare us. Two teams pray for a win. God doesn't care about a baseball game or the World Series. He cares about individuals.