What IS, IS...No Matter What People Say

My Dad called long distance to see if I had heard the news. A young pitcher of our beloved Detroit Tigers "just pitched a perfect game...and had it taken away by an umpire's horrible call." It was true. Every angle of every replay made it indisputable. Armando Galarraga had faced 27 consecutive batters and retired every one of them. But on #27, the umpire called "Safe!"...mistakenly. He later admitted his mistake with humility, and Galarraga accepted his apology with a smile and grace. But the bell could not be unrung. An umpire's mistake cost a young pitcher his place in the official record book.

As painful as this is now for all involved and the fans, in the long run Armando can benefit. Think about it: How many of the previous 20 perfect games can most baseball fans remember? Everyone (even non-baseball fans) will remember the 21st perfect game. They will remember Galarraga's class and maturity. They will remember the 27th out. (The replay was aired thousands of times and seen by millions of people.) They will remember the umpire's admission of error. This unique game was the only perfect game in baseball history that recorded 28 consecutive outs. It was a perfect game that actually occurred, but was NOT recorded in the record book. Countless fans will remain forever convinced of what they know to be true: It actually WAS a perfect game; the only person in America who will never acknowledge it is an unpopular commissioner and his book. Armando Galarrag's perfect game is one of the very few (along with Don Larsen's World Series gem in 1956) that will remain etched in people's memories. The others are only found in the record book, but very few memories. This one will be remembered by millions in spite of the record book.

And let's face it; how many people in this country have virtually 100% of the population on their side? Everyone loves Armando Galarraga now. He pitched an unforgettable game. It actually happened. Facts can be ignored, histories can be revised, records can be erased, rules can be changed. These things can, and do, happen. But however people choose to define something, record something, ignore something, revise something, avoid something, re-label something, or spin something, it doesn't change what actually occurred.

So what if some book says Galarraga didn't pitch a perfect game? What if they deny that he won the game? Or that he pitched in the major leagues? Or that he ever even existed? It would be nonsense. What people say and believe doesn't change reality for those who were there. They know. They witnessed it. They cheered him on for all 28 outs.

Jesus Christ lived a perfect life. Yet many give Him no credit for it. They deny His deeds, and His deity. Some discredit His influence in the story of mankind. They ignore His hand in creation, and even leave the possibility of His involvement out of their books and equations. Some even stubbornly question His existence in history. But their flawed perspectives don't change the fact that He is who He is, and does what He does. Like a pitcher who gets back on the mound and gets to work, He just continues being sensational.

In more important issues of life (and there are MANY) there is absolute reality. Not MY reality or YOUR reality, but THE reality. The reality God knows. The reality God is. The words and perspectives of people change all the time. Moods and opinions fluctuate. Modern thought becomes outdated by newer, "wiser", more modern thought. Today's popular viewpoints get mocked tomorrow. None of this has any impact whatsoever on reality. What is, IS. Truth lasts. The false is temporary.

It's so peaceful to rest securely in what we KNOW...whether others acknowledge it or not. And I know that Jesus Christ is real...He is perfect...He is my LORD.