Mercy Rule

What does it mean to show mercy?

In Little League play, the game can be shortened if one team has such a large lead over the other that continuing the game might be humiliating for the losing team.

If one team is ahead by 10 runs after four innings of play in a seven inning game, and the other team has had a chance to reduce the lead below 10 but has failed, the game can be called and the team in the lead wins.

While it sounds like a compassionate and understanding thing to do, I wonder if it isn't even more humiliating to lose that way.

For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. - Romans 9:15-16

In today's reading from Paul's letter to the Romans, he talks about God showing mercy to us humans, dispensing it on whomever he chooses, regardless of our efforts or desires.

What would be a God equivalent of the Little League Mercy Rule?  Would he choose to end our life if we are suffering too much?

I know the analogy is extreme.  After all, it is only a game, but if I was playing hard and being beaten, I would like to know I still have a chance, a reason to keep fighting.

I have been at my grandson's games where the rule was called and the look on the faces of the losing team made me wonder if they felt even more humiliated by losing the chance to keep on plugging away, even when the lead continued to lengthen in that last inning.

When we see people suffering, we want to do something to help them and that makes sense, but is it up to us to pull the plug and stop the suffering?

When it comes to me in my life, I have made my decision and documented it so my loved ones know what I want them to do or not do when I am unable to speak for myself.  I believe a living will or Do Not Resuscitate order is a gift we can give to our children so they don't have to live with the decision and they don't need to be the ones dispensing mercy.

Loss is painful, whether it is big or small, life-changing or just a game on a Sunday afternoon.  I wonder if life's lessons are more meaningful when we just let the game run, or whether it is better to cut it short.

Having sat through several of these games this season, I can tell you my opinion.  I think the parents just want to go home and not watch a boring game continue.

Hmm.

How long must they endure this pain?

It's not about them, is it?

More to come...


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