Take A Stand

Look at these two young men. They look different, yet they are the same, yet they are different. Confused yet? Let's clear things up.

Both men played for the same baseball team (LA/Brooklyn Dodgers) in the 50's and 60's. Both men were pitchers and played in multiple World Series games, winning several championships.

Their differences? The guy on the left, Don Drysdale, was a right-handed pitcher and the guy on the right, Sandy Koufax, was a lefty.

There is another little known difference between the two - Sandy Koufax was Jewish and his faith has everything to do with today's story. This is from William Choslovsky, JNS News:

"60 years ago on Oct. 7, 1965, that Koufax, a Jew, sat out game one of the World Series because it was Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar."

What? He was the best pitcher on the team and he opted out of starting game Game 1 of the World Series? Yes. Because of his faith in God.

Koufax went on the pitch two shutout games in the series that year and the Dodgers became league champions.

That makes me ask myself, "What are MY priorities when it comes to worshiping God?

"I didn't go to church on Sunday because the Packers were playing at Lambeau and I had to set up for the tailgate party."

"We would have been there but Johnny had a baseball tournament."

"I was scheduled to work that weekend."

"We were on vacation."

What will our excuse be next time? Sandy Koufax probably missed many trips to the synagogue on the Sabbath due to his baseball schedule, but he chose not to miss the holiest day of the year. That says something. It speaks to his life's priorities.

What are OUR priorities? 🤔

“The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present a food offering to the Lord. ²⁸Do not do any work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the Lord your God." - Leviticus 23:27-28

Sandy Koufax Story - JNS News