History and modern media report battles and great accomplishments, extolling the heroes — the main players, those in the “starring roles”.

But no one gets anywhere or does anything great without support. Exodus 17:8-13 records the significance of such support. The main actor, Joshua, defeated the Amalekite army. Yet it took Moses holding up his hands (and arms) for Israel to win. And when Moses got too tired to stand and hold up his arms anymore, people got him a rock to sit on, and Aaron and Hur held up his hands on either side to keep them steady over the long haul. The key word follows: “SO Joshua overcame…” Who’s the hero here? Joshua? Moses? Aaron and Hur? The rock that bore his full weight? What about the guys with enough sense and servant-heartedness to go get the rock for Moses to sit on? They’re not even named, yet Scripture records their action because of its significance.

Supporters, take heart! Authors need editors to make their book look good. Soccer goals get scored with assists. Michael Jordan will tell you he needed Scottie Pippin and the rest of the “dream team”. Chloe Kim, who recently achieved a perfect score in snowboarding at the 2018 Winter Olympics, publicly thanked her dad for sacrificing his own career to support her training that got her there.

Anyone who cares enough to give up their time, energy, and resources to help someone else win their battles and/or shine in the public eye, achieves the same goal as the main “player”. Parents, teachers, coaches, friends, siblings, coworkers, this is us!

We can be that one who encourages our friend, child, brother/sister, student, or colleague, to keep going. We can embody the Holy Spirit, “Parakletos”—One Who Comes Alongside—by doing just that for someone to enable them to fulfill their dream. Often this entails using our own arms, hands, feet, words, resources, etc., to boost them up to overcome obstacles, discouragement, opposition, and the Enemy himself.

I ran long-distance track in college. Who do I remember? Not the girl on our team who won the most races. I smile remembering the friend to all, who stood at the curve of the final stretch of track and called out as each of us passed, “You can do it! Keep it up! You’re doing great!” — and our flagging energy would surge as we forgot our burning lungs and exhausted limbs and pushed on toward the finish line.

Imagine a huge stadium, packed with at least 100,000 people, and a “great” person visible to all within, plus whoever’s watching through media. Those “greats” are all standing on a platform. A person without a platform can’t be seen or heard (at least not by more than a few)!

Consider those four men who brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus? (Mark. 2: 1-12). That friend appreciated the significance of support—especially when they carried him all the way up to the roof of the overcrowded house Jesus was teaching in, cleared a hole in it, and lowered him down right in front of the Healer! I’ve often wondered if Jesus said “glad you could drop in?” 🙂

Or have you ever gone rapelling? I have. It’s that crazy sport where someone harnessed in a rope jumps off a cliff backward for fun and scales down the side of it—which only works well if someone (or even something) else, at the top, is firmly holding the other end of the rope!

Blessed are the rope-holders, those who daily bear up others, for they shall be counted significant in the Kingdom of God.

Julie Tofilon