Last Friday I (Ryan) had a meeting at GSIS in Suwon and after the meeting I took a short train ride to Seoul to watch my daughters, Becca and Sarah, and our girls’ volleyball teams play Seoul Foreign School (SFS). The girls’ varsity game was intense as the teams were evenly matched. TCIS was visiting the home court of the SFS Crusaders and the SFS team had a big crowd of people in the stands cheering them on. The TCIS Dragons on the other hand, had three people in the stands cheering them on.
The Lady Dragons of TCIS lost the first two games of the match and then came back and won the next two games. The match came down to the fifth and final game. The game was close and in the midst of the screaming and cheering Seoul Foreign School fans the Crusaders beat the Lady Dragons, 15 to 13. It was a tough loss for TCIS and a great win for SFS.
Five days later the Crusaders of Seoul Foreign School arrived on the campus of Taejon Christian International School for another regular season match. This time the contest was to take place on the Dragons’ home court. The stands were full of TCIS students and parents and the walls of the gym were lined with TCIS fans.
The match started and it was as if I was watching a replay of the match that had ensued just five days earlier between the two teams. On the Dragons’ home court, SFS won the first two games of the match and then the TCIS girls came back and won the next two games. The match came down to the fifth and final game. In the midst of the cheering and encouragement of the TCIS fans the Lady Dragons soundly beat the Crusaders of SFS, 15 to 8. It was redemption day for TCIS and a stunning loss for SFS.
As I stated before, the teams were evenly matched. From my observation I believe that a significant factor in the wins (for both TCIS and SFS) was the existence and role of the audience. It was evident in both matches that the supporting presence, the cheers of encouragement and the inspiring energy of the crowd greatly affected the players on the court and had a significant impact on the outcomes of the two contests.
The Biblical writer in Hebrews 11 and 12 speaks of a crowd that is sitting in the grandstands of our lives, cheering us on so that we might run with endurance the race of life. The crowd is made up of some amazing voices of faith. They were all “bloodied in battle” and knew well the joys of the journey, . . . and the sorrows too. They were heroes and “the world was not worthy of them.”
Now these amazing folks sit in the grandstands of our lives. Wherever we are, there they are. As followers of Christ we are not on our home court. We are aliens and strangers (the visiting team) in this world and we desperately need the presence of the witnesses (the heroes) in our lives. In the assurance of their support and with their cheers of encouragement ringing in our ears we need to fix our eyes on Jesus and press on in the race of life.
However, in God’s economy it doesn’t stop there. In Hebrews 11:40 it says that God’s plan is, “ . . . that their [the heroes’] faith and our faith would come together to make one completed whole, their lives of faith not complete apart from ours.” (MSG) At some point along the journey we find ourselves with the responsibility and opportunity of sitting in the grandstands cheering someone else along in life. We all are one body of believers running the race, living for God and cheering one another on in life and faith.
So, I have to ask…
In the midst of the race, the game, the battle, the journey, are you listening for the voices of the great crowd of witnesses? Are you hearing their shouts of support and encouragement? Are you being inspired to press on in your life for God by their whistles, clapping and cheers ?
And...
Are you fulfilling your role as a witness as you take up a seat in the grandstand of someone else’s life? Are you assuring others of your support and presence and are you encouraging them in their successes? Are you helping them to focus on Jesus rather than upon their mistakes? Are you cheering them on?
Who is in your audience and what kind of an audience member are you?
When it comes to living life in such a way as to get the prize, never underestimate the power and the impact of the crowd.
This is some good stuff, bud! Love the analogy. You need to write a book (in your spare time)!! Love you and miss you all.
Posted by: Rhonda | October 28, 2010 at 02:39 AM