Leadership Thought: A Basketball Game I Will Never Forget.

Dear Friends,

I will never forget the memory of a girls’ basketball game I attended many years ago. As athletic director at Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale, I would have the opportunity to attend many school sporting events. One afternoon while attending  a middle school basketball game I witnessed an event I will never forget. One of our girls was dribbling to the basket for what looked like an easy score. Her defender had tripped and fallen, and when our girl saw what had happened, she stopped her dribble long enough  to reach out with her non dribbling hand to help the girl up,  and having done so, she continued dribbling to the basket for an easy score. Her name was Sarah-forgot her last name- and I don’t remember who we were playing or if we won or lost the game, but that is unimportant. The important thing was the picture of one of our athletes exemplifying the kind of sportsmanship one doesn’t see much anymore.

I will never forget the helping spirit exemplified by Sarah’s selfless concern for another. Her actions provided me with an unforgettable example of how we are called to minister to one another. I know for me there have been all too many times when I have passed on by an opportunity to lift up some fallen brother or sister who needed a helping hand, or some kindly words of encouragement.

It is so easy to run right on by those in need. The excuses we have are legion. We are so busy, our ‘to do list’ is already two pages, I’m late for my appointment, someone else is better equipped to address the need…, and so our busyness blinds us to our call to serve. Would that each of us  be more like Sarah who wouldn’t let her own personal agenda deter her from helping someone along the way.

That is what the body of Christ should be. We are in this race together, and we really do need each other. Let us be eager to lift up the struggling, to encourage the fainthearted, and to join hands with those in need so that we can finish the race together.

Burdens to bear are burdens to be shared. “Let’s not pray for lighter loads but for a stronger backs” (Phillips Brooks).  Let's be on the lookout for those who might not be able to finish the race without our help and encouragement. There will be plenty that God will bring across our path, so get ready. And when they lie before us let’s remember that, “He stands erect by bending over the fallen. He rises by lifting others up” (Robert Ingersoll).

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom