Dear Mr. A-Rod

I heard you were in the news recently … is that true? Something about mistakes, bad choices, dumb decisions? Look, I realize that there will be those who will rip you to pieces. Some will even go as far as calling you names … maybe like “A-Fraud” or “A-hole” or whatever. Maybe they will even call you the prince or princess of baseball. I hope that doesn’t have to happen. I hope that maybe we can rise above some of this nonsense of name calling, being greatly offended, horribly deceived and move towards why. Why did you believe this was something you needed to do? Was it the money that the “horribly deceived” owner gave you after he asked you about this topic you admitted to? Was it the fame that we, the fans, gave you because you hit the baseball like some of our “heroes” of the past? Was it the overwhelming thought that you ARE a baseball player and incredible at what you do? Or maybe was it you? Maybe you thought you were bigger and better at everything? Maybe you thought you were superior to those around you and wanted to keep that status? Maybe I don’t really know why you did this and maybe I could write all day about all of the reasons you, “stupidly” did these “things”. Mr. A-Rod, you don’t know me or want to know me. In fact, you have never heard of me. What I’m about to say to you will mean nothing. We have never met and most likely won’t. I might see you this summer when your team plays the one I cheer and go nuts for. That may be our only interaction. I say all that to now say this: I don’t need to forgive you. I hold nothing against you. You didn’t hurt me by “cheating”. You didn’t anger me by trying to “get an edge”. If I’m really honest, I would be more concerned about your failed marriage than I am about the “cheating” in baseball. I love being married. It’s the most incredible thing. It’s a gift from God. It’s a way his love in displayed through us. It’s how we can begin to understand how he feels about us and takes care of us. He never walks away. He never signs “irreconcilable differences”. There isn’t a thought of cheating, on His part. He welcomes and loves. Loves us just the way we are but refuses to leave us that way. Wow! Soap box! Sorry, Mr. A-Rod. Mr. A-Rod, what I’m trying to get at here is simply this: I hope for you! I hope that the one who saved my soul will connect with yours too. I hope for the one who rescued me to come and invite you to the rescue too. I hope for the one who is the name above every name, including yours Mr. A-Rod, will become like a servant and friend in your life. See, he didn’t need his title, his rights, his servants, his friends or his family to remind him of who he is. He knows exactly who he is. He knows exactly what he needed to do. He knows his choices will lead to death. He knows his obedience was the only way forgiveness and rescue and glory and honor can ever take place. Mr. A-Rod, I hope for you to meet him and discover that pressure, stress, angst, hatred, lying, struggle, and any other word that fits this idea is set free in him. It’s forgiven in him. It’s ready for you. I hope you are ready for it. So, thanks for not reading this because you don’t know me and most likely never will. Thanks for playing baseball so well. Thanks for being honest. Thanks for putting up with those who think they have a reason to hate you. Thanks for letting me share something that, most likely, no one but me will read. And thanks to you, the one who saved my soul, Jesus Christ, for giving us identity … not in fame, money, roids, PED’s … but in you! AMEN! Oh and P.S. ... might be a good idea to not do those "things" again!