I own two autographed baseballs. The first is this one, autographed with signatures from the World Series Blue Jays, including my second favourite baseball player of all time, Roberto Alomar—the greatest second baseman in history, IMO). The second is a used game ball autographed by my all-time favourite baseball player (tune in tomorrow for that one). My Jays ball sits on my shelf in my study. I have only owned it for a few years now.
How did I acquire it? Well, I received a call one day from a friend in Salisbury. He told me he had this autographed baseball and asked me if I would like to have it. I said sure and drove over to pick it up. Awestruck when I saw it, I asked Doug if he knew what he had and if he was sure he wanted to give it to me. He said he knew what it was and that he was not a baseball fan (like I was). He had seen enough of my FB posts to know I was a huge fan (especially of Alomar), and he wanted his baseball to go to someone who would truly appreciate it. Appreciate it I did, and still do.
Here is the thing about my friend Doug. We were friends, but not close. We worked together when I was on the Salisbury Recreational Board of Directors, and he was the director. At one time we went to the same church, we share some of the same political interests, and we both love Jesus. I haven’t spoken to him since I left Salisbury (or have even sent him a message). It still makes me feel special that when someone wanted to give something of value away, he thought of me. What is the value of this baseball? Monetarily, I have no idea. Personally, the selfless act makes it priceless. It remains my second favourite baseball.
As I was typing this, a song came into my mind from the ’80s by Terence Trent D'Arby called “Sign Your Name.” A line from this song is,
“Sign your name across my heart.”
As I think about those signatures on that baseball, along with that song lyric, I am reminded I have the most valuable autograph one can have: Jesus has signed His name across my heart. In our world, the most valuable autographs are the rarest (Babe Ruth - $388,000, Joe Dimaggio - $191,0000), but in the eternal world, the most valuable is the most common. I say most common because Jesus has signed more hearts than all the other autographs put together. Babe Ruth cannot sign any more baseballs, but Jesus continues to sign hearts. If he has signed your heart, do you truly realize the value?
“My child, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways” (Prov. 23:26 NRSV).
Just as a baseball becomes more valuable when it is signed by someone we deem “important,” your heart becomes eternally valuable because of the signature of the Christ. My baseball stays on the shelf. Rarely does anyone come into my study and notice it. I do not take it with me, but my autographed heart goes everywhere I go. It’s a signature I desire to show everyone. I want them to see it every day. And the wonderful thing about this invaluable signed heart of mine is, I get to tell everyone who wants their heart signed by Jesus where to get it. My baseball brings me joy when I look at it, reminding me of a friend’s thoughtfulness. But, the joy does not compare to the autograph on my heart. Do you want this precious autograph? Then sing to Jesus at the top of your lungs, “Sign your name across my heart.”
Thank, you Doug, for this gift and the joy it brings.
Thank you, Jesus, for signing my heart and bringing eternal joy!
“For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is God’s powerful method of bringing all who believe it to heaven. This message was preached first to the Jews alone, but now everyone is invited to come to God in this same way” (Rom. 1:16 TLB).