Empower by Your Example

When I joined my university basketball team, I joined a group of key leaders on the court. Everything was new for me though: the players, relationships with coaches and staff and the teamwork. One player on our team was special. In the locker room, before every game, he encouraged the team and gave us challenges to work toward. He was the heartbeat of the team.

Each challenge he threw out he also worked to meet until the last game of the season. But when we were facing a very tough team for the championship, our leader and motivator could not encourage us. For some reason, he picked me and told me our team could win and I believed him. On game day, I was filled with confidence and I played the motivator that night and we walked away champions. This is a great example of one leader empowering another.

When Paul wrote Galatians, he was not new to the team of disciples, but he was returning after being away for 14 years. He was confident in the message and mission he had received from the Lord, but he had to share it with an audience that held a mixture of beliefs.

Paul brought Titus, empowering him to be a strong follower and sharer of Jesus, much like the leader of our basketball team trusted me. The best thing an athlete and believer can do is to step up with no fear and follow Jesus so that your team and those around you can see the power of Jesus through how you live and speak.