He Had A Dad Cheering Him On

He wasn't very good. At least that's what he told us when describing his ability on the track. It was my first time to meet him although my family had been supporting him for some time. He was an orphaned young man living in a home for orphans. While I don't really know all the details, as this was probably close to 40 years ago, my family had chosen to support this young man. We would send financial support as well as gifts at Christmas and throughout the year. On this particular day, we were headed to spend time with my grandparents and took a small detour to meet the young man.

It was during that time together that we discovered that he ran track. He was a long distance runner but explained to us all that he was not really that good and never even came close to winning. He mentioned that he had a track meet later that day. My father, who was actually just dropping us off to stay with my grandparents, was going to be headed back home once he dropped us off. He asked the young man what time his track meet was and committed to swing back by and watch him.

My father would later describe to us the race. The young man blew off the starting line taking the lead from the start. My father explained that he looked like he was racing a sprint instead of a long distance race. He was confident that he was going to run out of steam because he was running all out from the beginning. However, he never slowed down. He just kept it at full throttle and never ran out of steam. He won the race! It wasn't even close.

Now, if this wasn't 40 years ago, perhaps we could attribute his sudden burst of energy to a Red Bull before the race. That being said, I don't even think some modern energy drink could thrust a young man who is generally at the end of the pack to the head of the field. I don't think all the other racers on that day just happened to have a bad day. The overwhelming variable on that day was that an orphan who never had a dad to cheer him on, had a "dad" in the stands that day.

There's something about having someone in the the stands. I've coached for years and I've watched as kids constantly look to the sidelines. They are looking for approval. That glance is saying, "Did you see that?" They are looking for the applause and the smile of somebody who matters to them. Unfortunately, too many times I've seen that approval from the stands as coming only at the tail end of acceptable performance. I've witnessed children who are shackled with unrealistic expectations from parents who give their stamp of approval only when certain criteria is met. That behavior never empowers it only enslaves. When I child is left to think that a parent's approval of them is based on performance, they will experience of roller coaster of shame and approval, shame and approval, shame and approval.

As a father, I've fallen into that trap more times than I would like to admit. Years ago, I began to make a practice of telling my sons before every game, that I am proud of them. I was proud of them as sons not athletes. When they walked off the field in victory or defeat my opinion, approval, and pride in them would not waiver. Before they stepped onto the court or onto the field I wanted to communicate to them clearly that I was there to watch them. I did not come to watch them win or lose, I was a father who was there because my sons were there. I would cheer because they were my sons, not because they were winning or losing. I want them to grow up knowing that performance never dictates my approval as their dad.

My father showed up to watch that young man run his race. He did not show up expecting him to win. He showed up to watch him run. He showed to watch him. He showed up to let this boy know that there was somebody out there in this world who cared enough to watch him do his thing. Anyone who knew my dad, knows he was animated on the sidelines. I wasn't there that day, but I know my dad. I can assure you from start to finish, he was cheering at the top of his lungs. If the boy had run out of steam, he would have still been cheering. If he had finished dead last, he would have still been cheering. That's what dad's do.

In Scripture, we are told in Hebrews 12 that we are surrounded by a "great cloud of witnesses." I picture a stadium full of people in the stands cheering us on in our Christian journey. Saints that have gone on before us, encouraging us, cheering for us. Over and over, throughout the New Testament, God is described as our Father. He's described as our Daddy. So, while we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, there is One in the stands who is cheering the loudest. There is One who has season tickets on the front row. He's got the best seat in the house to watch His sons and daughters do their thing. He's there to watch them run their race. And when they run out of steam, He's still cheering them on. And when the falter and fail, He's still cheering them on.

The writer of Hebrews, goes on the encourage us to lay aside all the sin and weight that slows us down, so that we can run the race to win. What slows you down? What is hindering you? Get rid of it so that you can run the way you were meant to run. You've got a Father in the stands today, and He came to watch You. He came to cheer for You. You were made to run this race, so run it knowing that your Heavenly Father is in the stands bragging on you to everyone around Him, not because you're a great runner of life's race, but because you're His child. Before the starting gun sounds, rest assured that you are His and He is yours. You are not an orphan who has nobody to cheer you on. Know that regardless of what happens on the track today, when the dust has cleared, your Heavenly Father will be screaming from the sidelines, "THAT IS MY KID!" So, run. Run the race that is set before you today with the assurance that you've got a Daddy in the stands who showed up to watch you do your thing.

Tim is the lead pastor at Westlake Fellowship in Montgomery, Texas. If you live in the area, join us Sunday mornings at 10:30 am at 19786 Hwy 105 Suite 120 in Montgomery (beside Magnolia Diner).

For more on this topic watch "Sons & Daughters - Part 1" below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65NqCcgP73A