It hit me during the packed out 10:45 service this weekend. It was the 3rd service and the 3rd time I’d watched our At The Movies message featuring 42, the story of Jackie Robinson.

All those at this service know it wasn’t easy for me to say. I’m not sure why, but it choked me up. I tried to articulate what was going on in my heart during my 3rd experience of watching the movie clips and myself (which is, yes, a little weird). Let me try to articulate it now…

I’ve said it myself regarding football or baseball or some other GAME. “It’s just a game.” But what hit me this weekend is that while those sports are games, many times they are so, so much more. Because of the size of the audience, and the exposure granted Jackie Robinson, breaking the color barrier in baseball (just a game) became a culture changing journey.

Don’t get me wrong, we still have a lot to work on when it comes to racism, as current events show us. But often times what happens during a game is much more, much greater than the game itself.

Now, transfer that into our daily lives. “It’s just another day of work.” or “It’s just another day at school.” Maybe…but maybe on this day it has the potential to be so much more. As Christians I think we find ourselves guilty of waiting for the big moment, the big stage, before we give our best effort. Because of this we wait month after month after month without doing much at all. However, it’s in the ordinary moments that God can and will do some of His best work. We just have to view the ordinary as opportunities for the extraordinary…and keep our eyes open.

You never know when you’ll be called on to encourage someone, stand up for the defenseless, love the unloveable, support the thoroughly alone or rise to a challenge that will call on everything you’ve got so that God is honored in that exact moment.

It’s just a game…maybe. It’s just another day at the office…maybe. It’s just another day at practice or in school or with my family…OR IS IT!?