Long ago, before my brain was fully developed, I agreed to coach the cheerleading squad for our school district. I knew what I was getting into as far as adolescent drama, car washing Saturdays and uniforms that didn’t make it into duffle bags, but somewhere between my own pep rally years and today’s modern spirit teams, things changed. The job as instructor meant teaching students that couldn’t turn the lights out when they left a room, to catch a friend they had just launched into the air to perform all manner of stunts. There was one priority, one rule only: Protect the spinal column……at all costs, do not ever let a flyer’s body hit the ground.
The team I coached was athletic, vivacious and full of school spirit, but our brave flyer NEVER went straight up when tossed. During hang time she could thrill the crowd with rolls, spins, and flips, but there was a 100% chance she was NOT coming straight down. The stunt bases, spotters and I, her coach, could never take our eyes off of her when she began returning to earth. It was our singular objective to remain, in one accord, beneath her, vigilantly providing a soft and sure footed landing. Failure was NOT an option. We successfully accomplished our mission every time and had many fun hours leading the home team and student body as we took home the win.
In honest transparency, the team had its squabbles. Lots of them. Every member had their favorite dance number, or chant, or uniform…and they knew to form alliances with each other to negotiated with, and persuade the boss, I mean coach, to see things their way. BUT! All else became secondary, when keeping that one girl, the one who received the oohs and awes, flying high and safely landed, despite any distracting differences or offenses. Only we few, watching from beneath, knew she had the easy job and she wouldn’t be up there if we weren’t using all our physical and mental strength, for her benefit.
Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Philippians 2:2-3 NIV
Fellow Christians, there is an important mission, one target, one purpose, to spread the Good News of hope, life, SALVATION! Jesus tells us, “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37 NIV. In a common obedience to love, all differences must be put aside.
When our flyer was in the air, it didn’t matter if she wore a braid instead of the ponytail we had all agreed on. We were on a mission of life and death, continued health over a crippling accident. We didn’t fail and The Body of Christ must not either. Someone’s life is hanging in the air, and if we can’t love one another, more than we love getting our own way, we can’t give them a landing on the solid ground of Truth and Life.
Love,
Gretchen