What If No One Forgot?

It was the tenth inning of the final game of the World Series. The New York Giants were leading the Boston Red Sox, 2-1. Christy Mathewson, the great pitcher, delivered the ball to the plate. The batter hit an easy fly ball to center fielder, Fred Snodgrass. Snodgrass eased under the ball—and dropped it!

Snodgrass’ muff placed the game-tying run on second base. The next batter, future hall-of-famer Harry Hooper, hit a screaming line drive over Snodgrass’ head—surely it would be a triple.

Unbelievably, Snodgrass ran the ball down and made the greatest catch of his life—a game-saving catch. Unfortunately, the catch went for naught.

Christy Mathewson inexplicably walked a batter. The next man up, future hall of famer Tris Speaker, hit a pop fly foul ball, in front of the grandstand. Unbelievably, Mathewson and catcher John “Chief” Myers misplayed it, which gave Speaker another chance at the plate. He hit a single to tie the game. The Giants made no more errors, but lost the game when a sacrifice fly scored the winning run from third base.

Afterwards, the New York newspapers became apoplectic. They blamed Fred Snodgrass for the loss, even though he clearly was not alone in his mistakes.

Snodgrass went on to play four more seasons of Major League Baseball. Overall, he enjoyed a fine career. A good steward with his earnings, Snodgrass went back home to California and became a very successful rancher, banker, and businessman. He lived a life filled with good works and died at the ripe old age of 86 on April 6, 1974.

The next day, the venerable NEW YORK TIMES featured Fred Snodgrass in its Obituary page. Almost sixty-two years after the 1912 World Series, the headline read: "Fred Snodgrass, 86, Dead; Ball Player Muffed 1912 Fly."

What if God took your most embarrassing mistake, and refused to forget it? What if, on the Day of Judgment, God announced to Universe your worst sin?

Be of good cheer. Here is what Hebrews tells about God’s memory of sin for those who are in Christ, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more" (Heb. 10:17b) ESV.

Freedom from Porn

Blogger Ryan Tate had a bone to pick with Apple CEO Steven Jobs. As WORLD MAGAZINE reported, Jobs had declared that he believed users of Apple products such as the iPhone and the iPad should be free from pornography.  Consequently, he pledged that Apple will diligently remove any app that contains explicit material.

This news irritated Tate, and he let Jobs know how he felt. Tate expressed belief that Jobs was anti-freedom and that Tate did not want “freedom from porn.”

Jobs responded in kind with a brief lecture. “You might care more about porn when you have kids.” Later, to another writer, Jobs wrote that his company carried a “moral responsibility to keep porn off the iPhone.”

There were more critics who refused to be enamored with Apple’s decision. THE NEW YORK TIMES claimed that this move would cost Apple business, reducing their market share. This may prove to be true; however, MICROSOFT notably has announced that their new WINDOWS 7 mobile software will not permit software that “a reasonable person would consider to be adult or borderline adult.”

I take heart that these companies are taking bold stands against morally dangerous material. While I understand that God wants to change the human heart, I do not take for granted the blessing of living in a place where people self-regulate against moral pollution.