For the body does not consist of one member but of many. -1 Corinthians 12:14
Sports fans and athletes alike love the thrill of the game. When the lights come on, the crowed begins to cheer and the teams take the field there is an exciting rush that makes everyone in the game perform to the best of their abilities. But what happens when the lights go out? What causes a person to perform at their best, when the crowed is silent?
It was just a few Fridays back when sophomore running back Chris Thomas of the Lawton Eisenhower football team suffered an injury to his spinal chord that cause partial paralysis. Chris was taken to Children’s hospital in Oklahoma City for treatment. He has spent the past few weeks working every bit as hard in the hospital as he did on the practice field.
This past Friday Chris welcomed some very special visitors. The Eisenhower football team and cheerleaders left school early, on their way to another game. They went out of their way to spend time with Chris and his family, cheering him on. They also presented the Thomas family with a gift of over $1,000.00 they had collected by passing the football helmet at school. Chris’ dad told channel 9 news, “All of the love has really been appreciated. It’s kept him going. Without that help, who knows where his mind would have been?”
It is not just the rush of competition that causes a person to perform at their very best. It is the love and encouragement of friends, teammates and family that causes us to perform well in life. For Chris Thomas, the game changed. Chris will not be returning to the football field this year. He has a long road of hard work in front of him, but he is not alone. Chris has others that are supporting him and their love and intentional acts of encouragement will help him succeed.
Rev. Keith King, Online Campus Pastor
