Cricket and Bluey: An Important Lesson on Perseverance
Yes, it is winter, but it is well and truly cricket season. Australia dominated the World Test Championship against India to become the number one test cricket team of the last 2 years. Currently, Australia is playing the old enemy, England, in their own backyard, in the Ashes.
Both the men’s and women’s team won their first test match. This brings a certain warmness to my heart as I stay up late watching the cricket on these cold winter nights.
The Ashes are not the only cricket taking the world by storm. The ABC show 'Bluey’ created an episode all about cricket. I had heard the hype about the episode but thought nothing of it. After all, it is a show for kids and I don’t have any. But that didn't stop me from hearing about it. After watching the episode, I got it. It was a beautiful episode that brought the spirit of cricket. It showed cricked as what I grew up playing and still love watching.
Even if you are not a cricket fan, there is much to love and learn from this episode. The episode recounts a cricket match where they are trying to get Rusty out. Bluey says, “Cricket’s just about hitting a ball around the grass,” before her dad says: “Cricket's about more than that, kid.”
While not a tear-jerking line, the episode builds upon this nicely. Rusty, an aspiring cricket player, faces many challenges, trying not to hit the kitchen window playing a square cut, navigating a rocky pitch and spin, but his biggest challenge was facing pace bowling from his big brother's friends. Pace did not come easily to Rusty. It got him down. A well-timed letter from his dad had a great message. When facing a fastball (or a challenge), you can either step aside and get out or step into it and hit a pull shot!
This is a great message of perseverance in the face of challenge. To get on the front foot when times are tough, and to keep working at what is in front of you.
There will be times in your walk with Jesus when you want to give up, to step aside from the challenge. But we are called to persevere and step into such challenges knowing Jesus has gone before us, and we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. I will leave you will Paul's words in Romans 5:3-5.
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Nathan Gray (Next Gen Minister)