Tuesday; August 11
The other day I was watching a baseball game and they described a major league pitcher in an unusual way. On the surface the guy did not seem all that approachable – either by his teammates or his coaching staff – yet in defending him they called him “stubborn, but open”. Now, if you were just casually listening, this combination of words might have just floated on by; but a closer analysis made me stop and think. What does it mean to be stubborn, but open? Isn’t that an oxymoron? The commentators went on to explain that the veteran ballplayer understood his talents and his purpose and was committed to doing things his way; however, if people approached him with good information, he would listen. In essence, he had a natural built-in filter, but he was not completely oblivious to help. As I thought about this type of personality, I got to thinking about people who might have a similar mindset and how we might reach out to them. Whether it is in trying to