The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the son of God. . ."

- Matthew 4.3

Right field in Yankee stadium is not user-friendly for opposing players.

The wall is only eight feet high and directly abuts the warning track. This gives fans greater access to players than other ballparks where a higher wall and the intervening bullpen provide a buffer. And these aren't just any fans. To begin with, they are New Yorkers, a tribe not known for their civility. And these aren't just any New Yorkers, but the famous "Bleacher Creatures," a mongrel race whose taunts serve as a sort of tenth man in the home team lineup. 

Nor do these right-field rowdies content themselves with the usual insults and profanities: They do their research! In a contest on Mother's Day fans strafed Oakland Athletics right fielder Mark Canha with (in)appropriate season's greetings including insulting his mother's meat balls. Someone found out that Canha is part Italian and knew the taunt would connect. As C. S. Lewis observed, envious people are not above lying, but will tell the truth when possible; it hurts more.

When Jesus invaded the wilderness, he ceded the home-field advantage to the Enemy. In scriptural symbolism, the desert is where the demons dwell. Jesus took his place in deep right field with a low barrier between himself and the tempter. In the bottom of the ninth, things heated up. And the Enemy had done his research: If you are the Son of God. . . . The grammar there indicates a level of doubt: "Let's just say, for the sake of argument, that you really are God incarnate." J. B. Philips renders it, "If you really are the Son of God. . . ." 

A thing like that could make a guy glance away from a towering pop-fly and muff the easy out. Jesus, however, kept his eye on the ball and met Satan's sneers with Scripture. He fielded three straight screamers and retired the side.

Our Lord's example reminds us not to let the opponent get inside our heads. The right field wall may sink low and sit near, but even the devil (or Yankee's fans, take your pick) must abide by the rules. An old legend says that when Saint Antony holed up in the desert a rowdy band of demons gathered outside his cell and bellowed their threats. The saint replied, "If there were some power among you, it would have been enough for only one of you to come. But since the Lord has broken your strength, you attempt to terrify me by any means with the mob."

Pay attention to who's in your head. Don't rent out space to the Devil. Keep your eye on the ball.