January 16

The Shape of the Ball

Tonight (eastern time) starts the 2022 Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament! Very exciting for us tennis players and those who follow the sport. Now, looking at the title to this piece, you might think that I am referring to something round, the shape of a ball.  What I have in mind is what we refer to in tennis as giving shape to the ball.   In tennis, when we swing at the ball the purpose is to give the ball “shape.”  Let me explain.  A player can hit a tennis ball flat with very little arc.  A player can also hit the ball with a lot of arc using topspin.  So, in short, if a player hits the ball flat, there is not much shape to it. But if the player hits the ball with a lot of arc and topspin, then he or she is giving the ball more shape, technically known as “net aerodynamic force” (see above diagram).

The swing is the biggest factor in determining the shape a tennis ball takes in flight.  So, that is why a tennis coach, when teaching tennis strokes, focuses so much on “mechanics.”  You know the old children’s song about how the bones in our body are connected?  The head bone is connected to the neck bone, the neck bone is connected to back bone, and so forth and so on.  The song is popularly known as “Dry Bones” or “Skeleton Bones.” There is even a dance for it.  Did you know that the original song, called “Dem Bones,” is a spiritual song based on Ezekiel 37:1-14?  Each section of the song “Dem Bones” finishes with “hear the word of the Lord.” 

Anyhow, I digress, or do I?  Back to my tennis analogy.  If you have been following me – the few that are 😊 – you know that I frequently use analogies.  My analogy here has to do with that thing we do not like to talk about, sinning.  Usually, but not always, before we sin, we do something, usually with our mind, to give the sin flight.  To stay with the analogy, sin’s flight takes shape from our thoughts.  In other words, it takes shape in our minds before it takes flight.  How much flight that sin takes depends on how much shape we give it, in our minds first, and then with other parts of our body, all of which, of course, are connected like in “Dem Bones.”    

Have you been giving much shape to any sins lately?  Ask yourself, how is that sin taking shape?  What are you doing in your mind or mechanically to give flight to that sin?  And, finally, what are you doing to give that sin less shape, or no shape at all?!  Because sin’s foothold is in the mind, our best weapon is, as “Dem Bones” proclaims, hearing the word of the Lord. And since sin usually starts in the mind, we best fight it by “bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ…” 2 Corinthians 10:5. 

In conclusion, we all give shape to sin, and we all give it flight.  As in tennis, we can choose (and it is almost always a choice) to give the sin less shape (hit a flat ball) or give it flight with lots of arc and topspin.  In the end, what we do beforehand, as in tennis with our swing, will determine the path of that sin.  To take the analogy a step further, we can also choose not to swing at all.  Of course, that is not something you want to do in tennis!  LOL So, take that swing and send that sin crosscourt back where it came from, saying that you are hearing the word of the Lord! 


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Posted January 16, 2022 by Eugene Troche in category "Christ-Centered Reflections