Where There Are No Limits
“I can do
all things through Christ, who strengthens me.”
Phil: 4:13
For one thing, our guys did extremely well. Several won state championships in their respective weight classes. Our team placed very high in the final standings. There was a lot to be excited about, and everyone returned with a renewed sense of enthusiasm that carried over to the rest of our team who stayed at home.
And for me, at least, this was a unique trip. Several weeks ago, I told the team I would be retiring in May and would not be returning as their coach for next season. It was a very emotional moment for me and for the guys. It’s amazing how close you can get to a group of young men in sports. I have always been blessed with the ability to love the players I have coached. And these particular guys are easy to love. As we traveled to the power lifting meet, I realized it could quite possibly be the last time I ever take a bunch of teenagers to an event.
But as powerful as these two reasons for remembering were, neither represented the main thing I took from this experience. What will forever be etched in my mind and heart will be watching a young man from an opposing team take 415 pounds off the lifting station and place it on his back to do what we call a “squat.” In his case, he carefully balanced all the weight on his left shoulder and used his left arm to hold the bar in place. These special techniques were quite necessary, you see, for he did not have a right arm all the way up to the top of his shoulder.
To do a squat, the lifter bends his knees until the top of his leg is parallel with the floor. This young man went down to the required level, but the weight was too great and he could not complete the lift. I later found out that he had successfully lifted 385 pounds on his previous attempt. After doing a little investigating about this unique individual, I discovered he was a sprinter in track and a very good one at that! More than that, I found out he was a dedicated Christian, which answered all the important questions.
Many guys on football teams across this state choose not to participate in weight lifting competitions because in their estimation, they are not strong enough to compete. What they really mean is that they will “look bad” to others if they cannot lift a certain amount of weight. I have spent a lifetime telling my players not to worry about what other people think or what the world defines “winning” to be. I use phrases like “just do your best” or “give 110% and you will be a winner.”
On that particular day, I realized how “examples” far outweigh words when is comes to proclaiming the truth of Christ. Needless to say, on our return home, the discussion in the van was not about “personal achievements” or “state records.” What was discussed in our little group was how a man with one arm did not care how he looked to others or what they thought about him. He simply gave his best to something he loved. And in the end, the truth was evident…winning is about giving your heart to something…giving all you have to the cause… and showing the world that the promises of God always come true: “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.”
Thanks be to God, who enables those in Christ to do things the world says cannot
be done! He redefines who we are and
what we can do!
Love in Christ to you,
Billy