Morning Devotionals

by Don Emmitte

 

March 2nd, 2008

 

“Someone In Your Corner”

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. (Galatians 6:1-3 NLT).

CBS News anchor Dan Rather admits he was always fascinated by the sport of boxing, even though he was never good at it. "In boxing you're on your own; there's no place to hide," he says. "At the end of the match only one boxer has his hand up. That's it. He has no one to credit or to blame except himself." Rather, who boxed in high school, says his coach's greatest goal was to teach his boxers that they absolutely, positively, without question, had to be "get up" fighters. "If you're in a ring just once in your life--completely on your own--and you get knocked down but you get back up again, it's a never-to-be-forgotten experience. Your sense of achievement is distinct and unique. And sometimes the only thing making you get up is someone in your corner yelling."

We all need someone in our corner “yelling” FOR us. I remember so well the days when my sons were playing sports. I was an enthusiastic parent! For those of you who have actually seen me in action from the sidelines, you might say that “enthusiastic” is really a little too benign a word. I suppose that since I have been told that I have a voice that carries a long distance it was much more than a little bit of encouragement. I have never been abusive... always encouraging. That's the difference between yelling “for” someone and yelling “at” someone.  

The example that comes to mind most was when David was in high school. He played soccer. That season was always in some of the coldest weather of the year and often not well attended. So, sitting huddled in the football stadium with other parents, my voice was easily heard on the field. All of the players knew me since I was their off season coach, but the opposing players didn't. I would usually yell “well done” when David made a good ply on the ball. The other players, knowing his name, would ask, “Is your name “Weldon?” We've laughed at that many times. The key is that it was always a great encouragement to him in the midst of play.

Do you know that God is in your corner? More than that, god also asks that we be in the corner for others. Are you? Make that your commitment today!