Contract of love

I watched a “60 minutes” interview with Derek Jeter the famous New York Yankees shortstop the other day and was very impressed with this young man and his father. He is one of the best baseball players ever. He is enthusiastic and is depicted as their team leader and as we in Atlanta know all too well the NY Yankees have won several World Series often at the Atlanta Braves’ expense with Jeter leading the charge.



Derek Jeter’s father raised him with fairly strict discipline, not because he was an abusive father, but because he loved him. Each year Derek had to sign a hand-written contract with his father in order to play baseball. Among other things Derek had to agree not to take alcohol or drugs and to respect women. His father taught him to compete to win and to never give up. When Derek played little league and amateur ball, his father attended all of his games and critiqued his performance and still does.



Derek is a product of a bi-racial marriage, his father is African American and his mother is white. He stated that he endured racial taunts about this and still does on occasion. It does not seem to have affected him adversely and he seems devoid of any hatred racial or otherwise, and again I believe it is because his father is such a great mentor. Derek Jeter stated that his main priority in life is to treat every person like he would like to be treated. There was plenty of evidence presented by “60 Minutes” that he accomplishes that goal daily.
He is really a good kid trying to live by the golden rule. We are all instructed by Jesus Christ to follow it. Certainly God has blessed Derek Jeter for his effort with athletic ability, good looks, fame, and financial success, but one of his greatest blessings is a father and mother who love him dearly and clearly taught him well. They did not teach him to hate as he was hated by some, but he taught his son to love and treat everyone with respect, like he would like to be treated. I could not tell from the interview whether or not Derek Jeter is a born again Christian, but he aspires to live by one of God’s top commandments either way.



I was inspired by seeing this segment and have vowed to try much harder to observe the golden rule myself. How wonderful the world would be if more people would abide by it…



Matt.22:37

Jesus said to him: “You

shall love the Lord your God with all your

heart, with all your soul, and with

all your mind.’

This is the first and great

commandment.

And the second is like it: You

Shall love your neighbor as yourself.

On these two commandments

hang all the Law and the Prophets.



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