So a couple of weeks ago, I was playing basketball with a group of guys and before I tell on anybody else, I have to tell on myself first, I missed some very makeable shots early on. A buddy/co-worker of mine came to me and said "don't worry about it, just keep shooting." As a good leader, he saw that I could have let those missed points bring down my confidence and taken me out of the game. Knowing that I had his confidence to make those shots even when, honestly, I had some doubt, gave me some confidence to just play harder. I kept working to get open and he gave me the opportunity to shoot and low and behold, I'm making the shots.
Since the games were only going to 10, each shot should be a good look at the very least so whenever I would miss he would still say, "Keep shooting." He trusted in (
1) that I was listening and (
2) that I could make those shots. After the winning the first game, my friend gave me a vote of confidence with the game on the line to make the winning basket of the second game and kapow, I hit the game winner! I was able to make that shot even when earlier, I thought I shouldn't be shooting anything because my friend told me it could be done.
If I can go to the Bible on this, Jesus told the disciples to keep fishing even though they had been fishing all night long and caught nothing and fishing while the sun was out did not make much since but they believed in what He said and ending up catching more fish than they ever caught before (
Luke 5:4-7). Now think if they would have told Jesus that He was crazy for even saying to fish in the middle of the day when all the fish can see the nets-they probably would never have become the fishers of men (
Luke 5: 10).
So here is the point I want to make: we should not get weary in well doing. In this day and age of instant gratification and having things at the tips of our fingers, it can be so easy to give up on things when it gets difficult. And what I want to drive home is not just giving up on a dream or a career or even a personal relationship but in a bigger picture, we should not give up in doing good to people at every turn. We should look to be there in a time of need for a friend, for a co-worker, for a stranger, for a fellow laborer of Christ (
Galatians 6: 9-10). If we keep in mind that we should spread love to all men and women then we can really make a difference in so many people's lives. So lets keep fishing for those who need help and who need love and encouragement because they made end up winning the game for us. We need to keep shooting.
