In 5th grade I wanted to be a cheerleader. Kimberly, who lived down the street, would come over to my house after school and teach me cheers in our backyard. We'd practice the jumps on our big trampoline. Clapping and stomping with the beat, I'd yell out the chants in my best cheerleader voice."BE a-GRESS-ive! BE - BE a-GRESS-ive! B-E A-G-G-R-E-S-S-I-V-E!"
Cheerleaders seemed so cool - with their cute flouncy skirts and big pom-poms. But I was too self-conscious to tryout for the squad. I was sure I would fail. I couldn't do the splits, for one thing, and I knew that was a requirement. So I nursed my secret dream behind the closed door of my bedroom, where no one could see me or make fun of me. And I kept practicing the one or two cheers I learned from Kimberly - just in case one day I was good enough to make the cheerleading squad.
"BOOM! We're dynamite! BOOM! We're dynamite! We're tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick BOOM dynamite!"
Though I never got to wear the flouncy skirt and shake the pom-poms on a cheerleading squad, I've come to realize that I AM a cheerleader. I love to encourage people who are struggling, to cheer on those who are doing good work, and to give someone an emotional boost when needed. By cheering for you, I'm saying that I am part of the team too. I'm saying that we're in this together. I'm saying that I believe that God is doing a good work in you, and He won't stop until He's finished!
And not only am I cheering for you, but Jesus is cheering for you (Rom 8:34)! The angels in heaven are cheering for you (Luke 15:7)! Abraham, Moses, Esther, Ruth, and Paul are all cheering for you (Heb 12:1)! What an amazing cheering section that is!
Who can YOU cheer on today?
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses... let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us." Hebrews 12:1
