Major League Baseball’s World Series began this week in Boston’s Fenway Park, with the Boston Red Sox taking on the Los Angeles Dodgers. It marks the second year in a row that the Dodgers have made it to the series with the help of left-hander Clayton Kershaw, who’s a very devout Christian.
Kershaw has long been known as one of baseball’s best pitchers. He is 153-69 in 11 years as a Dodger, with a 2.39 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. He’s won three NL Cy Young awards and finished top-3 in the voting three other times.
While speaking with CBN News, the thirty-year-old MLB player described how he has carried his Christian faith into the major leagues saying, “I think getting to play baseball and the blessing that it is to go play every day is a platform to incorporate yourself with a lot of other different people that think baseball’s cool. If you tell people you’re a follower of Christ, that you’re a Christian, it can resonate with people a little bit more just because of the platform you have.”
Kershaw explains that God continues to teach and guide him saying, “What God’s teaching me about my life … first and foremost, that He’s in control of it, which is sometimes hard for me to grasp. I think He’s really teaching me to let go of the reigns a little bit and just give Him complete access to my life.”
Kershaw, who is understandably busy with his career, says he uses his time, talent and treasure wisely for his Savior.
“I didn’t do anything to deserve this gift,” Kershaw told the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Magazine. “God gave me an ability to throw a baseball. He chose me for a reason, and I want to honor Him with that. You can’t control the talents He gives you, no doubt about that. But you can control the effort you put forth with those talents.”
The star pitcher further speaks of his devotion to God, stating “He’s all-powerful, He brings joy to my life, He brings pain and sorrow to my life, all for a purpose. Instead of trying to figure that out all on my own, on my timing, He’s teaching me that I’m on His timing.”