I watched this video last night and just cried. This after a long day with a son who made lots of poor choices, leaving me with slight emotional edginess.
Anyway, I watched this fifth-grade boy with Cerebral Palsy pushing himself to the absolute limit in this 400 meter race. He almost gives up at one point but then his peers come along side to encourage him to cross the finish line. Oh. My. Goodness. It’s priceless.
(The really inspiring, make-you-cry part starts at about 2:40.)
Click here if you can’t see the video.
Of course I thought of my own boy after our challenging day. Not that we have any idea of the physical and emotional struggles that come with Cerebral Palsy. But we all have weaknesses. All of us — he and I.
We all have places in which we need others to come along side of us and cheer us on. We all have struggles that discourage and make us want to sit down on the field and give up. We all need lifting at times.
When I’m a wreck — drowning in weaknesses — I don’t want pointing and nagging and jeering from a wide-eyed audience. I want someone to walk behind me and clap and cheer and remind me of truth, “You can do this thing! Because you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength! Run it, girl!” I want someone to pray for me and with me.
We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”
Romans 15:1-3
People come with weaknesses. It’s the state of this flesh. That’s one reason He gave us each another — the strong bearing with the weak, building each other up rather than tearing them down. We need one another.
Let’s look around today, get behind, and cheer on that one struggling to make it to the finish line. It could make all the difference.
Fill me, Lord…
How can we build others up when they are weak?
For those memorizing the Sermon on the Mount with me, it’s breather week. Ahhhh. I pray we all use the time wisely. I pray He buries His Word deep into our hearts. Pressing on, friends.
Linking up today with The Better Mom and Graceful and Raising Arrows. Click over to read some other Monday posts.
I too had a tough day with my son…well and the girls. We are in a rough patch here of poor choices and each day I question myself “am I really do anything here?” It’s hard. I needed this encouragement to start the day. Remembering they are weak and so am I. Yes, we need each other. Thank you.
P.S. Oh I wanted to tell you we’ve adopted the “love up and out” here in our home as well. I can’t say I see much of a difference these days but I pray it and say it about a million times a day to them (and me!). Hoping it sticks sometime!
Thanks Lara!
Oh girl, I totally know what you mean. Most days — like today — I wonder the same thing, “Is any of this really sinking in?!” I think that’s when we are to walk by faith that yes, He will bury these truths into their hearts and in time they will birth to new life. Preaching it to myself, friend. I prayed for you today while I was in the midst of the mommy-wildness. “You can do this thing! Because you can do all things through Christ! Run it, sister-mama-friend!”
Thank you so much for sharing this! Encouragement is such a powerful thing and also very contagious as shown by this video. Going to dry my eyes now…not only from the video, but also your sweet words that touched my heart today.