Courage is not the absence of fear but the willingness to go
through a situation and do your best despite the fear. Last night I was helping
coach my son’s 6th grade football team. Before the game started I
looked around and saw one player who has a hurt shoulder but was dressed and
ready to play and another player who has a high ankle sprain but was dressed
and ready to play. These may not seem like huge injuries and would not keep a
high school or college player from playing but to an 11 year old boy, these
things can instill fear of getting hurt worse. However, this is what being a
part of a team looks like and teammates recognize the pain but willingness to
continue. During the game, I watched these two young men give everything they
had to help their team be successful. I also watched as several other young men
got hurt during the game giving everything they had for others. One of the boys
was knocked out and as he got up and went with his parents to the hospital, I
looked into the eyes of his friends and teammates and saw fear but I also saw
courage and a desire to give even more for the team. After the game as I was
talking to my son who had the hurt ankle, I realized that not only was this a
lesson for the boys on the team but also Father was speaking to me and using
the verse from the Gospel of John:
"Greater love has no one than this,
that one lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13.
Now I know that these 11 year old boys weren’t
laying down their life like members of the military do for example but for
them, getting hurt or watching a hurt player giving his all should teach them a
GREAT lesson. A willingness to put others ahead of self is a lesson that MANY
adults have not learned but a group of 11 year old boys learned it on a
football field last night and I could not be more proud to be associated with
that group of young men. Thank you for teaching me about courage and
selflessness last night. God Bless You All!!!
