Don't Walk in the Dark
Robert Walker
John 9:1-11
The 1964 Philadelphia Phillies will always be known as the team that suffered one of the great collapses in sports history. They let a huge division lead slip away by losing ten games in a row at the end of the season. Despite the collapse, the Phillies season had its share of memorable moments, including a perfect game and a ninth-inning home run by a Phillie to win the All-Star Game.
But the most remarkable moment of the entire season occurred after a game, not during it. Clay Dalrymple, a Phillie pitcher, was asked to assist a blind girl who had requested a chance to walk out on the field.
Dalrymple took the girl to home plate where she reached down and felt the plate. Then they walked to first base, second base, and third base before ending up at home plate once again.
While Dalrymple was showing the girl around the bases, he never noticed that the fans remaining in the stadium had stopped to watch him and his companion. He just assumed that the silence in the stands meant the fans had gone home. But when the two of them finally reached home plate, the ballpark erupted.
Dalrymple was shocked by the applause. When he looked up, he saw thousands of fans giving him a standing ovation.
Later, Dalrymple told a Sports Illustrated reporter, "It was the biggest ovation I ever got."
I can't imagine what it would be like to be blind and not be able to see the face of the woman I have love for 45 years. Not to be able to read the books in my library. Not be able to drive a car. Not be able to see the faces of my grand children. Not be unable to watch a beautiful sunrise or my favorite baseball game. Or to be able to walk down the street without someone helping me. I can't imagine living life completely in the dark. Can you?
But there's something else out there much worse than physical blindness. I'm talking about spiritual blindness. Not knowing where your life is going. Not knowing if you're righ ...
Robert Walker
John 9:1-11
The 1964 Philadelphia Phillies will always be known as the team that suffered one of the great collapses in sports history. They let a huge division lead slip away by losing ten games in a row at the end of the season. Despite the collapse, the Phillies season had its share of memorable moments, including a perfect game and a ninth-inning home run by a Phillie to win the All-Star Game.
But the most remarkable moment of the entire season occurred after a game, not during it. Clay Dalrymple, a Phillie pitcher, was asked to assist a blind girl who had requested a chance to walk out on the field.
Dalrymple took the girl to home plate where she reached down and felt the plate. Then they walked to first base, second base, and third base before ending up at home plate once again.
While Dalrymple was showing the girl around the bases, he never noticed that the fans remaining in the stadium had stopped to watch him and his companion. He just assumed that the silence in the stands meant the fans had gone home. But when the two of them finally reached home plate, the ballpark erupted.
Dalrymple was shocked by the applause. When he looked up, he saw thousands of fans giving him a standing ovation.
Later, Dalrymple told a Sports Illustrated reporter, "It was the biggest ovation I ever got."
I can't imagine what it would be like to be blind and not be able to see the face of the woman I have love for 45 years. Not to be able to read the books in my library. Not be able to drive a car. Not be able to see the faces of my grand children. Not be unable to watch a beautiful sunrise or my favorite baseball game. Or to be able to walk down the street without someone helping me. I can't imagine living life completely in the dark. Can you?
But there's something else out there much worse than physical blindness. I'm talking about spiritual blindness. Not knowing where your life is going. Not knowing if you're righ ...
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