A Divine Plan
A
Divine
Plan
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learningdisabled children, the father of one student delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by those who attended.
At
a
fundraising
dinner
for
a
school
that
serves
learningdisabled
children
,
the
father
of
one
student
delivered
a
speech
that
would
never
be
forgotten
by
those
who
attended
.
He began with a question.
He
began
with
a
question
.
"Everything God does is done with perfection.
``
Everything
God
does
is
done
with
perfection
.
Yet, my son, Shay, cannot learn and understand things as other children do.
Yet
,
my
son
,
Shay
,
can
not
learn
and
understand
things
as
other
children
do
.
Where is God's plan reflected in my son?"
Where
is
God
's
plan
reflected
in
my
son
?
''
The audience was stilled by the question.
The
audience
was
stilled
by
the
question
.
The father continued, "I believe that when God brings a child like Shay into the world, an opportunity to realize the Divine Plan presents itself.
The
father
continued
,
``
I
believe
that
when
God
brings
a
child
like
Shay
into
the
world
,
an
opportunity
to
realize
the
Divine
Plan
presents
itself
.
And it comes in the way people treat that child."
And
it
comes
in
the
way
people
treat
that
child
.
''
Then he told the following story:
Then
he
told
the
following
story
:
Shay and I walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball.
Shay
and
I
walked
past
a
park
where
some
boys
Shay
knew
were
playing
baseball
.
Shay asked, "Do you think they will let me play?"
Shay
asked
,
``
Do
you
think
they
will
let
me
play
?
''
I knew that most boys would not want him on their team.
I
knew
that
most
boys
would
not
want
him
on
their
team
.
Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.
Shay
did
n't
even
know
how
to
hold
the
bat
properly
,
much
less
connect
with
the
ball
.
So I approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play.
So
I
approached
one
of
the
boys
on
the
field
and
asked
if
Shay
could
play
.
The boy looked around for guidance from his teammates.
The
boy
looked
around
for
guidance
from
his
teammates
.
Getting none, he took matters into his own hands and said, "We are losing by six runs.
Getting
none
,
he
took
matters
into
his
own
hands
and
said
,
``
We
are
losing
by
six
runs
.
The game is in the eighth inning.
The
game
is
in
the
eighth
inning
.
He can be on our team and we will try to put him up to bat in the ninth inning."
He
can
be
on
our
team
and
we
will
try
to
put
him
up
to
bat
in
the
ninth
inning
.
''
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three.
In
the
bottom
of
the
eighth
inning
,
Shay
's
team
scored
a
few
runs
but
was
still
behind
by
three
.
At the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the outfield.
At
the
top
of
the
ninth
inning
,
Shay
put
on
a
glove
and
played
in
the
outfield
.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again.
In
the
bottom
of
the
ninth
inning
,
Shay
's
team
scored
again
.
They had the potential to win.
They
had
the
potential
to
win
.
Would the team actually let Shay bat at this juncture and give away their chance to win the game?
Would
the
team
actually
let
Shay
bat
at
this
juncture
and
give
away
their
chance
to
win
the
game
?
Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat.
Surprisingly
,
Shay
was
given
the
bat
.
At last, understanding what the boy's intentions had been, the boys from both teams helped Shay win the game for the team and Shay was cheered as the hero.
At
last
,
understanding
what
the
boy
's
intentions
had
been
,
the
boys
from
both
teams
helped
Shay
win
the
game
for
the
team
and
Shay
was
cheered
as
the
hero
.
"That day," said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, "the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of the Divine Plan into this world."
``
That
day
,
''
said
the
father
softly
with
tears
now
rolling
down
his
face
,
``
the
boys
from
both
teams
helped
bring
a
piece
of
the
Divine
Plan
into
this
world
.
''
A Divine Plan  At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learningdisabled children, the father of one student delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by those who attended. He began with a question. "Everything God does is done with perfection. Yet, my son, Shay, cannot learn and understand things as other children do. Where is God's plan reflected in my son?"  The audience was stilled by the question. The father continued, "I believe that when God brings a child like Shay into the world, an opportunity to realize the Divine Plan presents itself. And it comes in the way people treat that child."  Then he told the following story:  Shay and I walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, "Do you think they will let me play?"  I knew that most boys would not want him on their team. Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball. So I approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance from his teammates. Getting none, he took matters into his own hands and said, "We are losing by six runs. The game is in the eighth inning. He can be on our team and we will try to put him up to bat in the ninth inning."  In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. At the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the outfield.  In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. They had the potential to win. Would the team actually let Shay bat at this juncture and give away their chance to win the game?  Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. At last, understanding what the boy's intentions had been, the boys from both teams helped Shay win the game for the team and Shay was cheered as the hero.  "That day," said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, "the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of the Divine Plan into this world."