Last night I received a text message letting me know of the passing of one of my heroes: Coach Mike Jacobs. Heartbroken, I proceeded to head to the hospital. Upon my arrival, I was blown away by the number of friends, family, and both current and former baseball players standing in the hallway of that emergency room.
As I wrestle through the reality of his passing, I can’t help but think back to the many fond memories I have with this man. I smile thinking back to our shared hatred for the cold weather (there’s currently 180 days until summer); I cringe thinking about the title he gave me as the “worst base runner he’s ever coached”; and I’m humbled by the example he gave of what a man of God should look like.
Here are three quick things I learned from playing for this man:
A Godly man knows and cares for the people in his life.
The average roster of a college baseball team consists of around 35 players, and Coach Jacobs coached at the University of Mobile for 30 years. That means he coached around 1,000 young men over three decades.
In a social media driven age that is inundated with chasing after “likes” and “followers,” it’s easy to become a mile wide and an inch deep when it comes to relationships. It’s easy to recognize faces and not remember the names of the people in your life. Coach Jacobs somehow mastered the craft of being a mile wide and a mile deep.
As a former player of his, he didn’t just remember my name, he remembered my wife’s name, my kids’ names, and where I worked. Rather than choosing a nickname, every time he saw me, he would greet me with a hug and say the words, “Hello, Ryan Parazine.” Then, with his eyes locked on mine, fully invested in the conversation, he would proceed to ask how both my family and I were doing.
We, as Christians, would greatly benefit by following Coach’s example here by intentionally knowing and caring for the people in our lives.
A Godly man works hard while he preaches the gospel.
Coach worked hard on the baseball field and demanded a lot out of his players, and because of this, he was a very successful coach. However, if I’m certain of anything about Coach Jacobs, it’s this: he loved Jesus more than he loved baseball.
Although he was quick to talk baseball, he was a man who constantly looked for opportunities to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, through both his actions and his words. In our batting cage, I watched this man get on his hands and knees, bowing to the Lord in prayer. On my recruiting visit, I listened to him talk about what he was learning at his church (they were studying Revelation 3). Countless times— in the dugout, on the bus, in the locker room, in left field, in the weight room— I heard this man share the gospel.
Coach showed me that the advancement of the gospel far outweighs the success one can obtain through his or her occupation. He showed me that we are not to pursue success at the expense of making disciples. Our job, whatever it may be, is an avenue to making much of Jesus.
One should therefore labor and toil, working by the sweat of his or her brow, while he or she preaches the gospel.
A Godly man serves with his wife.
If you knew Coach Jacobs, you knew Mrs. Joy. Of the 100+ games I played at the University of Mobile, I’m not sure if I can think of a single game that Mrs. Joy did not attend. I’m confident that this woman (1) bakes the best brownies on the planet, (2) has the best Indian cheer in the galaxy, and (3) is the sweetest, more caring individual in the universe.
I very rarely saw Coach without his wife outside of baseball, which showed me that a godly man serves with his wife. Coach Jacobs’ ministry was Mrs. Joy’s ministry, and Mrs. Joy’s ministry was Coach Jacobs’ ministry. They were united in their pursuit to love, serve, and care for their boys.
I’m confident that Coach Jacobs would not have made near the impact that he made without Mrs. Joy. This woman’s faithfulness to encourage, pray for, and celebrate her husband and her boys is an example that is worth following.
Coach Jacobs showed me that a man who loves his wife is a man who serves with his wife.
“Mrs. Joy,
I, along with 1,000 other men, am beyond thankful for you and your husband. We love you; we are here for you; we are trusting that God is good; and we are praying with you that Christ would be exalted through the passing of your husband and our hero.
Sincerely,
One of your boys”