Tuesday, October 06, 2009

"I Believe in You!"

1 Corinthians 13:4,7 Love... believes all things.

What's the one thing every teenager needs as he or she navigates adolescence? What is needed by every young mother as she assumes a responsibility she's never had before-being a mom? By every athlete to achieve his or her ultimate performance? By every husband to become the man God made him to be?

To be believed in.

All of us need someone to express positive expectancy about our lives.

Two boyhood friends, Johnny and Marty, loved baseball and each other so much that they made a pact to play together always-regardless of what happened. As time went on, Johnny became a baseball star, and his coach called him aside and told him about the upcoming tryouts for the minor leagues. Johnny said, "That's great. Marty and I will sign up right away."

But the coach responded, "Don't worry about Marty. He's just an ugly duckling-too skinny, too slow, can't field and can't hit."

But Johnny's response was, "I know he can make it if he has a chance. He's got determination. He can learn to field and hit."

Sure enough, training camp resulted in a contract for Johnny-but Marty was cut. Johnny, however, wouldn't sign without Marty, so the club gave in and awarded both a contract.

Motivated by his friend's actions, Marty slowly began to improve. During their third year in the minor leagues Johnny washed out and quit. Marty became the rising star. Eventually he was called up to the majors for the St. Louis Cardinals as a shortstop. He played in four World Series and seven All-Star games, and in 1944 was named Most Valuable Player in the National League.
Years earlier Marty's mom had asked Johnny, "Why are you so determined to keep this pact?"

Johnny replied, "Belief is a kind of love. I believe in Marty. We're friends. Believing in someone is the best kind of love."

Prayer: That as a parent you will be able to inspire every member of your household by expressing positive expectations.

Discuss: What communicates affirmative belief to you? In what one area would it most encourage you if someone believed in you more? List an area in which you can show positive belief in your mate and in your children.

5 comments:

cas said...

I'm sorry, but that is a great story. How inspirational is that???? I know it is gonna sound cheesy, but if I look back I can see myself looking for someone to believe in me. I can see it from my parents, to bosses, and mostly I seek it from my wife. However, as my my father-in-law often reminds me, I should be seeking my cudos from above. That being said, this story should go a long way in inspiring us to actively affirm those around us.

Blessings

cas

jmb said...

I try to be attentive to the needs of my kids telling them that I am proud of them. I remember needing that affirmation when I was younger. But, in the context of the other blogs lately I asked myself, "Does my wife feel affirmed and appreciated? Do I regularly tell her directly or indirectly that I am proud of her?". As I sat here talking to myself, you can probably guess how I answered myself. I'll find a way today....

trd said...

i believe in this positive reinforcement concept but i dont use it too often with my wife. which is probably why she gets nervous to tell me when she did something wrong. in fact, making this broader, i need to do this more at work too with my employees.

trm said...

Good comments...My wife is really good at keeping everybody on task. She's so convicted about what needs to be done and when it needs to be done. I dont remember the last time I confirmed my belief in her because so much of the focus is on the kids, ministry and work. I will make an effort today and in the future to affirm (to state or assert positively; maintain as true) my belief in who she is not just what she does. I'll pray that like JMB we will all express our belief in our spouses.

CRB said...

I needed this alot last year with the uncertainty of finishing school. My wife sent me the most amazing "we believe in you" card, that I will never forget. I do this quite a bit with my kids, and I need to do it more often with my wife.

Agree with the need to look for kudos from above.