I Love Being the Water Boy!

Water Boy: a person who carries a canteen or bucket of drinking water to those too occupied to fetch it, as to soldiers, laborers, or football players.

In order for a family, church, team, business or government organization to be great each individual must do his or her part well. Apostle Paul taught this principle to the church at Ephesus. In Ephesians 4:16 he writes: “From him the whole body (church), joined and held together by every supporting ligament (relationship), grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

This season two of my sons are playing on Pop Warner football teams. So, I spend most of my week trying to juggle my time between their two different practice and game times. On Ethan’s team, I am an official assistant coach. I even have a Pop Warner identification card with my picture to prove it. On Josiah’s team, I do not hold an official position.

As the season has progressed, I have found myself occupying one common position on both of their teams during the games. I have gladly taken the role of the water boy. Traditionally, the water boy is the guy who was not good enough to make the team. He is usually the one who gets picked on or mocked as he carries out his duties. It is the position occupied by the “average Joe”.

Now, keep in mind, I have ten years of major college coaching experience. I am more qualified to be head coach than the majority of the fathers who serve as Pop Warner coaches. So, why would I be the one to fill the water boy position?

I never realized how important the water boy is until it was my responsibility to fulfill the hydrating duties. When the temperature is in the mid to high nineties at game time, the water boy’s assignments are some of most indispensable on the team. Failure to properly hydrate the players means they do not perform well on the field. Failure to perform well on the field will lead to a certain defeat. Therefore, the water boy is just as important as any other member on the team. To be successful, each person on the team must do his or her assignment with excellence.

Both of my sons’ teams have not lost a game this year. They are not necessarily the most talented teams. However, they are the most unified teams. Each coach and every player works together and takes care of their responsibilities. After two of our games, the officials have commented on how disciplined and how well our teams play together.

As Lord of lords and King of kings, Jesus did not come to earth to be served, but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:18). He humbled himself even to the point of death on a cross, and took on the very nature of a servant to save his people and set them free from their sins (Philippians 2:7-8). In other words, He was God’s “water boy” for us. Jesus took the least desirable role to do the most significant act in history.

After each game this year I have left the field with a great sense of satisfaction having just watched my sons’ teams achieve victories. I didn’t call a play, make an important game situation decision, and I wasn’t the most visible guy on the field. However, I faithfully kept each and every one of the players hydrated and ready to compete. I did my part to help our teams win.

Gosh, I love being the water boy!

Stop Waiting on the World to Change!

Now we see everything that's going wrong
With the world and those who lead it
We just feel like we don't have the means
To rise above and beat it

So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change (John Mayer)

It seems everybody wants the world to change, but nobody knows where to begin! Wait a minute; I just made an incorrect statement. There is somebody who knows where to begin the process of changing the world. His name is Jesus Christ!

Jesus taught his followers how to participate in changing the world. In Matthew 7:3-5 he said:

3"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.”

In the parable of the log and speck, Jesus drew attention to how quick most people point out the mistakes of others while ignoring their own shortcomings. He taught that we should first deal with our own faults before dealing with the faults of others.

Everyone thinks about changing the world, but no one thinks about changing himself or herself. According to Jesus, the first person we should work on is the one looking back at us in the mirror.

Wouldn’t the world be a much better place if we applied this instruction from Jesus?

Even though it seems he didn’t apply it very well, Michael Jackson agreed with this teaching of Jesus. In his song Man in the Mirror, he wrote:

I'm starting with the man in the mirror,
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change



One of the unique doctrines of the Christian faith is that we can know God in a personal manner through His Son Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, I have noticed that many religious people want what Christ offers, but don’t necessarily want a relationship with Him. Therefore, they don’t allow Jesus to personally deal with their sin issues. Instead, they cover up their sins with good deeds and religious activity.

While on earth, Jesus worked as a carpenter before beginning His itinerant ministry. As a carpenter, Jesus does major renovation work in our lives when we receive Him as Lord and Savior. So many people don’t let Him get close because they know He will use His toolbox to “remove the log from their eye”.

When we live with a “log in our eye”, we are blinded to our own sin. This blindness produces a self-righteous attitude that is very judgmental of others. Therefore, we become more worried about how other people act instead of examining our own behavior. The pride of our self-righteousness is what always leads to our own destruction.

Too many people wait until the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of making the necessary changes in their lives. The danger with this approach is that we make ourselves susceptible to permanent damage when we wait too late to change.

There is a wiser step to take in regards to dealing with our own sin. It begins with recognizing and admitting that we all need to change. This method includes repentance for our transgressions, and putting faith in Jesus Christ. As we open our hearts to Christ, He will come in and do the necessary renovations in our lives. We all are in need of personal remodeling!

Stop waiting for the world to change by beginning to make the necessary changes in your life! Thinking about changing the world can be quite overwhelming, but changing yourself is very realistic. Start with the person in the mirror and do your part in making the world a better place!

The God of Endurance and Encouragement

Last Saturday, during my son’s Pop Warner football game, he was in need of some serious endurance and encouragement. In order to play in the game, he had to lose two pounds to make weight for his Mighty Mite team. Therefore, he spent extra time during the week training, and he also had to deny himself some of his favorite foods. The players weigh in before the games, so my son was not able to eat before his 11am game. His hard work and dedication paid off. He made the weight!

By the end of the game, I knew my son would be exhausted because of the heat, the lack of pre-game nutrition, and the demand of playing on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. With about 3 minutes to go in the game, his team was leading 8-7 while the opposing team was driving down the field. My son was very lethargic at his middle linebacker position, and was having trouble catching his breath. He was in desperate need of some serious endurance and encouragement.

So, as a loving father, I stood right on the sideline screaming words of endurance and encouragement to him. Each time the position of the ball moved, I would realign myself on the sideline so he could see me clapping, and hear me cheering. With about 40 seconds to go in the game, the other team was in scoring position at our 5 yard line.

Instantly, I began to yell even more passionately my words of endurance and encouragement. The quarterback took the snap and ran towards the right side of the field trying to get into the end zone for a touchdown. My son and his teammates chased him down and caused him to fumble the ball, which was recovered by our team. Even though he was physically drained, my son endured and helped his team secure the victory.

The next day in church during Communion, as I was remembering the death of Jesus on the cross for our sins, I began to think about the significance of this sacrificial act of love. As we gaze upon Christ on the cross, we see a Messiah who positioned Himself in a way to reconcile us to God. 2 Corinthians 5:19 states: “God reconciled the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.” Through Christ, God now looks favorably on His people. Our God, the Eternal Father, is our greatest source of endurance and encouragement!

Just as I was laboring to position myself on the sideline, so my son could see and hear my words of endurance and encouragement during the final minutes of his game, Jesus Christ positioned Himself on the cross for all of eternity to encourage us and help us endure with His love.

Encourage means to inspire with courage, spirit, or confidence. Our God fills us with His Spirit so we can be courageous as a witness for Him. It is impossible to endure in any mission when we are not encouraged. It takes both encouragement and endurance to win a football game, and it takes both encouragement and endurance to serve Christ well.

Romans 15:4-6 states, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

I don’t know about you, but I am constantly in need of some serious endurance and encouragement as I try to faithfully fulfill my duties in life. Romans 8:31-32 states: “31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" Yes, our God graciously gives us the endurance and encouragement we need to serve Him well.

Remember, when times get tough, He is right there clapping and cheering you on!