By Ryan Kryska
GCU News Bureau
Employees at Chapel on Wednesday at Grand Canyon University's 27th Avenue Office Building were graced with a personal anecdote from Pastor Tim Griffin’s baseball career.
It was a big day in North Carolina when a young, freshman Griffin was at third base for his university. The school was playing the local minor league team, which it never had defeated. But this time, the college students were up a run in the later innings. With a man on second and third -- two outs -- a one-hopper headed straight to Griffin, who skipped to balance, threw and put the ball 10 rows up in the stands.
His team lost the game, sending the 18-year-old Griffin back to the dugout less than thrilled.
Unbeknownst to him, however, was that a saving grace was in the stands. Griffin had befriended an older fellow named Danny -- someone who had been at the school awhile and could give him advice.
Griffin recalls looking up at him after the last inning, seeing his mentor with a squinting grin. Danny walked Griffin to the bus and reminded him that it was just a game -- that there are more important things, and there’s always next time.
That counseling -- that brief walk to the bus -- has stuck with Griffin for years. So much so, that 30 years after last seeing Danny, Griffin found himself in North Carolina and gave his old friend a call. They met for coffee, and Griffin made sure to thank Danny for cheering him up.
Funny thing is, Danny didn’t remember talking to him after that game.
In reflection, Griffin, who referenced 2 Timothy 4:1-5, reminds us that we have no idea who we might impact -- that we may never even know if we are impacting them. That “there is a ministry that God has given to all of us.”
“It’s a wonderful joy to be in His hands,” Griffin said. “He will change lives because of you.”
Contact Ryan Kryska at (602) 639-8415 or [email protected].
