Persevering with Our Cloud of Witnesses

The most joyous time of the year is about to settle in our home—football season. My husband and I are raising three boys, and perhaps, our influence aside, they are all turning into pretty intense football fans, especially the oldest. Casey, who is now a freshman in high school, can rattle off football statistics like the greatest commentator on Saturday or Sunday afternoons. He favors the University of Texas Longhorns and the Houston Texans, and knows any stat even remotely involving these two teams—currently and in the past. He will passionately share his knowledge with anyone willing to engage him and listen. 

This is how I connect most with my oldest son. I treat him to Chipotle or Torchy’s Tacos, and we talk football. And his knowledge far exceeds mine. 

This year, Casey is playing football for school for the very first time. 

As late summer practice set in with its 5:30 a.m. start time, Casey quickly realized this was going to be one of the hardest things he had done. And I don’t think he was too fond of the challenge. After one week of rising incredibly early and putting in long hours of hard, physical exercise, he wanted to quit. As his mom, I was stuck. Stuck in the knowing that if he continued to play without passion, he could easily get hurt, but also in the knowing that I so badly wanted my son to just surprise himself with what he could accomplish. 

Casey has been known to be a quitter when things get tough. I can’t say the apple has fallen far from the tree, so it’s particularly hard for me to push when I, too, often want the easy way out. 

As I often do, I turned to “his” passage in the Bible, one that I have been reading to him in various translations over the course of quite a few years. 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
—Hebrews 12:1-3

My translation for Casey is often a form of the following:

“This is your race, son, stay in it. Run hard with perseverance. Fix your eyes on Jesus. And with your eyes on Jesus, you will not grow weary, and you will not lose heart.”

He faced one of his most challenging days a few weeks ago, when he had to show up at practice after missing a day to tell the head coach face-to-face that he was quitting. This head coach transformed into a witness right there on the sidelines, and with his arm around Casey, he told him he was not letting him quit. He told him his body is changing and that he is pushing it harder than he has before; that he knows he prefers to quit things, but to persevere; that he would fight for him each and every day. He told him he’s a great kid, and it’s okay to have so much to process but to try and enjoy the ride. 

This day changed my son. It very well could have been the first time someone other than mom or dad offered true encouragement—in the name of Christ, I do not doubt. I thought it so appropriate to read Casey the Hebrews passage from his teen study Bible again, and this time, emphasize the cloud of witnesses. Where would we be without them? How could we possibly persevere without their influence? 

Casey is playing wide receiver, and after that bit of encouragement, which continues almost daily from the head coach, he is dedicated to this football team. I don’t know how this season will unfold for him on the field. He might miss or drop every pass thrown to him or he might catch some and gain a few yards. He might score a touchdown or even catch a “hail Mary” in the end zone to win a game. 

I think, though, what is guaranteed, is that Casey will one day reflect on this year in football and recognize what God did in him—how God transformed him and who God sent to walk beside Casey in this pivotal teenage time.

In all our pivotal times, on each of our paths in life, it is those in our own cloud of witnesses that help to push and carry and see us through. I invite you to consider your own cloud of witnesses, to name them, and to offer a prayer of thanksgiving for each of them.