Last night, the Cleveland Indians snagged Game 1 of the World Series in a surprising 6-0 shutout of the Chicago Cubs. There was a great atmosphere and this should end up being a fantastic series.

As a sports fan, I’m a big believer in choosing one team to root for while watching a game, but in this matchup I’m very torn since they are my two favorite baseball teams. Admittedly, I’m not a die-hard baseball fan, but I like both of these teams and have solid reasons for rooting for each.

My grandpa Jack and I were extremely close before he passed away last fall, and he was a lifelong Indians fan. When I was in college, the two of us took a baseball trip to see the Indians play in person. It’s a very special memory for me, and I wish I was watching this series with him.

When I was in high school, my friends and I went on a mission trip to inner-city Chicago. While there, we witnessed the Cubs take on the Yankees at Wrigley Field. Being part of the amazing tradition of that ballpark was an incredible experience. I already liked the Cubs before that (mainly because of the movie “Rookie of the Year”), but being there live definitely confirmed my fandom.

So, who do I root for? I’m drawn to both teams and would be pleased with either outcome. Although a dilemma, in some ways it’s actually not a bad spot to be in.

In the Bible, Paul writes about a much more profound situation he’s wrestling with. He’s going back and forth between wanting to remain in this world, serving the Lord, or being in Heaven with Jesus.

Philippians 1:21-24 (NLT) says: “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.”

As followers of Jesus, we are in a similar predicament. When we firmly believe we will spend eternity with Jesus, we want to go right now. After all, who wants to remain in this crazy world?

But at the same time, we understand that living for Christ in this world has a major impact on people. God allows us to continue to live here for His purposes, so we should embrace doing fruitful work for Him. There is worthwhile and valuable work still to be done.

The outcome of the World Series won’t be determined by whether I choose to root for the Cubs or the Indians. Similarly, God has each of our days numbered and will decide when it’s time for us to join Him in Heaven. In the meantime, let’s choose to live for Christ until our final day. I’m Bryce Johnson and you can unpack that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I desire to be in heaven, but I know that you have work to be done in me and through me until that time. I pray that I would be faithful to live a life that is committed to Christ while bearing much fruit. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.