New York Met Finds Faith in Aftermath of Injury

Last updated on: October 16, 2015 at 8:39 am by Tony Rossi

New York Met Finds Faith in Aftermath of Injury 2015-10-16T08:39:14-05:00 Tony Rossi

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Christopher Closeup Podcast – Guest: Daniel Murphy

(Photo property of the Mets)

As a boy, Daniel Murphy started playing baseball through the process of elimination. He realized he was too short for basketball, too slow for soccer, and he didn’t like to get hit so forget about football.

Baseball, however, was a game for which he had a gift and a passion. After playing for Jacksonville University, Murphy was drafted by the New York Mets in 2006, and made his Major League debut in 2008. His primary memory about his first at-bat in the big leagues? Drinking Pepto Bismol because he was so nervous, he thought he might throw up.
With a .320 batting average at the start of August, 2011 was shaping up to be Murphy’s best season to date. Then it happened. Again. A knee injury ended his season early for the second time in two years. At first, Murphy understandably felt depressed about his bad luck. Then, God stepped in.

Though Murphy was raised in a Christian family and attended Sunday school, he admits he didn’t give much thought to his faith. The injury changed his perspective. As he explained to me on Christopher Closeup, “There were moments that led to me surrendering to the Lord. After that, I don’t want to say everything was easy because it isn’t always easy and prosperous. But there was a peace and joy I never experienced before…The Lord had knocked me on my back a number of times, and I had not answered. This time I finally decided to submit and give everything to Him.”

Instead of feeling sorry for himself, Murphy spent time in prayer and fellowship with other believers. Reading Scripture also became a part of his routine, allowing seeds that were planted in his childhood to start blossoming. He said, “It’s really exciting to get into the Word, and realize, ‘Hey, I remember that from Sunday school class.’ It didn’t mean to me then what it does now, but it’s pretty cool to look at it now. So I thank my parents for raising me in a Christian home and being encouraging.”

A challenge for any Christian athlete is integrating his faith with his professional life in a way that doesn’t come across like God is picking winners in a sporting event. Murphy seems to have the right approach, saying, “As far as the outcome of a game, I think God cares about the glory. Win, lose, whatever it may be – at the end of the game or end of the season, God wants you to give Him all the glory. That to me is the toughest thing – to humble myself.”

Devoting his time to worthy causes through the “Mets in the Community” program is one of the ways Murphy tries to stay humble and live out his faith. Though he considers them small gestures, he played Santa Claus for some underprivileged kids last Christmas, and took part in a tribute to military families on the TV series, “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” Murphy explained, “Being in a position where we’re so revered as athletes, I try to ask ‘How can I serve? How can I show my teammates and the people of this city that I’m a servant first, and a baseball player second?’ I’m not going to say I always approach it with a joyful heart because I’m human. But I try to let the Lord work on my heart and open me up for opportunities to serve…[so] that serving becomes the norm.”

With a rehabbed knee, Daniel Murphy is itching to get back on the field and play the game he loves for a team whose support he appreciates. He especially looks forward to playing for manager Terry Collins for the second year in a row: “He knows how to push the buttons that get the best out of each player. He’s very much of a player’s manager, very approachable. His door is always open. If you want to go in there and talk about anything, he’s going to listen and have a conversation with you. He has the trust and heartbeat of our ballclub. As a player, I want to go to battle for that guy.”

Trusting in a higher power is also part of Murphy’s game plan as the 2012 season begins. He said, “My biggest thing is giving everything to the Lord right now, coming to Him with open hands and trusting that His paths for my life are better than anything I could ever script for myself.”

Listen to my full interview with Daniel Murphy: Christopher Closeup Podcast – Guest: Daniel Murphy

Uncategorized

Previous Post

February 27, 2012

Mother Dolores Hart in old Christopher Award-winning "20/20" segment

Next Post

February 29, 2012 Building a Habit of Prayer

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Act One American Idol Andy Griffith Show Audrey Assad Baseball Bible Books Catholic Charities Christmas Christopher Awards Christopher Closeup Christopher News Notes Current Events Down syndrome Education Father Jonathan Morris Father Keller Films Forgiveness Fringe Government Hallmark History Holidays Humor Inspiration Leadership Lost Marriage Media Medical Military Movies Music NY Med Once Upon a Time Once Upon a Time Parenting Patheos Movie Club Person of Interest Politics Pope Francis Prayer Pro Life Saints Senior Citizens Signed Sealed Delivered Special Needs Sports Three Minutes a Day TV Uncategorized Volunteering Women Youth

Select a Month March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who taught Apollos about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Select your answer to see how you score.

Paul Aquila and Priscilla Timothy Barnabas