The Huggers
Theme for the Week: Vote of Confidence
Mart De Haan
Monday, November 5, 2001
 1 of 1
Key Bible Verse: Greet each other in Christian love (Romans 16:16).
Bonus Reading: Romans 16:1-16
Nearly 3,000 athletes take part in the summer games of Michigan's Special Olympics. The Special Olympics slogan is "Caring is more important than winning." This is especially true of those competitors who are mentally impaired.
The events at the Special Olympics are like any other track meetwith one major difference. At the finish line is a group of volunteers the Olympic Committee calls "huggers." Their job, in addition to calling out the winners, is to encourage one of the competitors throughout the race and to greet him or her at the finish line with a big hug. These huggers remind me of what's going on in [today's Bonus Reading]. There Paul gave special recognition to the men and women who'd been "running the race" for the Lord so diligently in Rome he did remember them by name. He gave them confidence by approving their work.
Paul would have made a good "hugger." (Actually the Greek text of the Key Bible Verse mentioned kissing, but you know how cultures change.) You can be that kind of encourager too. Somehow let the love of Jesus show through. Make those around you feel like winners.
Mart De Haan in Power Up! My Response:
I'll contact ______, who needs a verbal or written hug from me. Thought to Apply:
Our job is to love people we don't have to love.
Keith Miller (writer)
Adapted from: Power Up! (3-4/01).
Copyright © 2001 by the author or Christianity Today, Inc./Men of Integrity magazine.
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Lord, move me beyond preoccupation with myself to affirming and bolstering others.
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