42 is a movie about Jackie Robinson, the first African American Major League Baseball player. In one scene, the opposing coach was taunting Jackie as he came up to bat. His loud racist remarks were vicious. Frustrated, Jackie swung the bat at a bad pitch, hit a fly ball and was easily put out. All the way back to the dugout, the taunting words of the opposing manager followed him. “You’ll never make it, (racist remark). Your kind never will.”

Jackie walked back toward the dugout, through the players to a tunnel underneath the stadium. Alone, he began to furiously beat his bat against the wall: screaming in pain and agony. Branch Rickey, the manager, appeared as Jackie shouted over and over, “How much more can I take? How much?”

Branch gently put his arm around him and replied, “If you go out and retaliate, the papers won’t report what he said, they will only write that you fell apart. You couldn’t take the pressure.”

Jackie then asked, “What am I supposed to do?”

Branch said, “Get a hit; steal a base; score a run. Do your job and you will ultimately prove him and all of your detractors wrong. Jackie, you need to go out there and do what you do.”

Somehow, Jackie found the courage to go back out on the field. He would make a hit, steal a base, and score a run and he continued to do so throughout the season.

Today, Jackie Robinson is honored as one of the greatest baseball players who ever played. His number 42 is retired from every team in Major League Baseball except for one day each year when every player wears 42 as a tribute to this remarkable man.

Jackie Robinson displayed incredible courage in the face of persecution.

As leaders, if we take our job seriously, we too will occasionally face persecution. We will be teased, taunted, and challenged in many ways. Our temptation is to strike back, get angry, or get even.

Yet Jesus says, “When someone hits you on one cheek, offer the other.” The Bible also says, “For we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

Striking back seems courageous but others will say that “you” fell apart. You couldn’t take the pressure.

So what do you do?

Do your job and do it well. Keep a smile on your face and keep doing what God would have you do. That is the only way to ultimately prove your detractors wrong.

The Bible also says, “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

Later, Branch Rickey told Jackie: “I was watching a little league game and saw several of the boys rubbing their hands in the dirt and practicing their swing, the exact same way they saw Jackie Robinson do it.” Branch then said, “Think about it, those white children were imitating you. You are their hero.”

Jackie Robinson —- the one who was persecuted became a hero.

As for the opposing manager who taunted and ridiculed Jackie Robinson? According to the movie, after the season ended, he was fired and never managed a major league team again.

Persecution, taunting, and cruelty happens and will likely threaten you someday. How will you respond?

• Will you have the courage to do what is right, regardless of the consequences?
• Can you do your job and do it well?
• Can you keep a smile on your face?
• Can you turn the other cheek?

What God requires of us is to act justly, to have mercy, and to walk humbly with God.

About Larry Davies

Larry Davies is currently the Lynchburg, Virginia District Superintendent for 89 United Methodist Churches. He has been the pastor of small, medium, and large churches. For many years, Larry managed and trained sales people in the automobile business. He is also the author of Live the Light: Five Weeks to a Light that Shines and three other books. Larry is the founder of Sowing Seeds of Faith, a worldwide prayer ministry and writing ministry, www.SowingSeedsofFaith.com. His columns and blog posts appear in several newspapers, magazines, and websites. Larry is a graduate of Virginia Tech and received his Master of Divinity at Duke University. Mell, Larry’s wife, recently retired from Concord Elementary School. Larry’s oldest son Stephen is married to Brandy, and they have a one-year-old bundle of energy, Jackson. Larry’s daughter Lisa is engaged to be married to Bobby. He and Mell also have a lively but older Springer Spaniel named Daisy.