February 2021
Steve Russo

George Herman Ruth, Jr. best known as “Babe Ruth” was a baseball icon back in the day. He was known for his hitting brilliance and was one of the first five players elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

When he finally began to yield to age, one of the last games Babe Ruth ever played was in Cincinnati.  During the game, he dropped the ball several times and struck out.  The opposing team was able to score five runs in just one inning.   Leaving the game, “The Babe” hung his head and walked slowly off the field towards the dugout.  He was greeted with a storm of boos from the crowd.

Then it happened!  A little boy leaped over the railing and ran straight for Babe Ruth. With tears flowing down his cheeks, the young boy threw his arms around the great athlete.  “The Babe” reached down, gently picked the boy up and hugged him.  Then grabbing the little boy’s hand, the athlete and the boy headed for the dugout.

Suddenly the booing stopped.  Silence swept over the stadium.  Then the crowd broke into a thunderous applause.  Who where they cheering?  Babe Ruth – who they’d ridiculed just a moment before – or the little boy? Or maybe they were simply caught up in the power of love.

Love has an amazing power. It can heal a broken heart or motivate someone to keep moving forward. Everyone needs to love and be loved.  Jesus said, “love your neighbor as you love yourself” (Mark 12:31). But this can only happen if we first love God and experience the power of His love in our lives. Then we’ll be able to love others like we should.

Imagine how different our world would be if everyone experienced the power of God’s love.

But it all starts with you and me. One person at a time – transformed by the power of God’s love. Then taking the risk to love others, no matter how unlovable they may seem.

Are you willing to get caught up in the power of love to see what a difference it can make?