Put me in Coach

I watched a one minute video yesterday on someone's Facebook page.  It was of a bus driver that pulls onto a bridge and sees a lady hanging on the side of a guard rail ready to jump into the highway and oncoming traffic.  He pulls the bus over and asks very nicely if she needs anything.  He slowly walks down out of the bus and toward her, very calm and collected.  He asks her if she would like to come on this side of the guardrail.  She seemed to be in a distraught and confused state.  When she says yes, he helps her back over the guard rail and sits down on the ground with her and just talks until help arrives.

Later when he is being interviewed about the experience he says that it was meant to be, that he was supposed to be there in that moment to help this lady.  He says that he played football and:

"When you sit on the bench and the coach calls your number you have to go in and make a play and you gotta do what the play calls for and I think that is what I did."

The sports analogy is very interesting because many of us have played sports or watch sports.  How often in a game have we seen an injury happen or someone get into foul trouble and a player who doesn't play much comes off the bench and has an amazing game.  When all seems lost that player steps in makes a huge impact on the game.  They know what needs to be done and them make it happen.

I think this is a great way to think about helping others and stepping outside the box.  We go through our normal lives everyday and nothing extraordinary happens.  It's kinda like we are sitting on the bench waiting for our opportunity to make a difference to step up and be the hands and feet of Christ.  The question comes are we ready to take the field?  Are we ready to step up when we are called to do so?  Can we be thrust into the game of life and do whatever it takes in that moment?

Just like that player that sits on the bench and waits for his or her shot, we have to be ready.  We have to be ready for when we get called into the game.  We may not know when or where it will happen but when it does I know that we will know what it is we need to do. 

So make sure your water bottle is full, your laces are double knotted, and you have stretched thoroughly because you never know when you will be called into the game!