This is the second of seven questions every high schooler needs answered.
Will You Believe In Me?
When I was in elementary school I played little league football. It was my passion. While I wasn’t the biggest kid on the field, I was certainly one of the most tenacious. For the most part, I played on both sides of the ball–running back on offense and linebacker on defense.
I’ll never forget one evening practice. Previously that day, our elementary school P.E. class had us jog for our class period. Looking back, it wasn’t a lot of running, but it was enough to garner a few complaints at football practice, nevertheless.
Practice had worn on, and the running backs were going through specific plays over and over. Two of the other running backs (also my buddies) decided that running at school P.E. and pounding through running back drills were just too much for them. So they sat down, leaned back on a chain link fence, and took a break to watch us as we practiced. I can still see them sitting there talking to each other while I was still there in the grind.
Finally, I had enough. I went to Coach Skip and said, “Coach Skip, I want to sit down and take a break like them…I had to run at P.E. today too.” He looked at me and I can still hear him say, “Anderson. If you sit now, you’ll sit the rest of your life…you’re better than that.”
That’s all I needed to motivate me to press on despite the difficulty. I don’t even remember the end of practice. But, those words have echoed in my mind for nearly three decades since. “You sit now…you’ll sit the rest of your life.” Coach Skip believed in me, and it shaped a young elementary student and now husband, father, pastor, friend, etc. That’s it. He believed in me.
What’s The Way Forward?
To believe in someone you have to be able to…
- See what they could become.
- Gideon was hiding from the Mideonites as he was threshing wheat in the wine press when the Angel of Lord came to him and said, “The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior.” He knew he wasn’t a valiant warrior [at that time], but instead pointed out, “…my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.” However, the Lord saw what he could become. Read the end of that story here.
- Call them to something great.
- It is much easier to correct someone when they do wrong instead of actually teaching them to do it correctly. But, is that the best? Often, when I’m working on a project and one of my daughters comes over to “help”, I think, “…this help is going to take longer.” However, when I stop and teach them without having to point out every thing they’re doing wrong in their helping, I’m believing in them and calling them to something great.
- See the two steps forward despite the five steps back.
- I can’t tell you how many times I’ve failed at things. Millions. But, I’ve also succeeded. Failure has always been a part of any success I’ve experienced. When we see the bigger picture in our high schoolers we see both success and failure. Don’t let the 5 steps back hinder the greater vision of the two big steps forward. We’re in the long game not the short one.
Believing in someone means you sacrifice your primary right to the present on the altar of the future. Believe in what “could be” in your children and people within in your spheres of influence, and watch as they rise [though slowly at times] time and again to the occasion(s) through your simple faith in them. I’m thankful for the men and women who believed and still believe in me. I praise God for them.
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
Romans 8:28
— December 13, 2019