This afternoon after church I watched the Pittsburgh Steelers play the Titans. Great game. Steelers won and I was glad because I’ve been a Steelers fan since the 70’s. I knew that Ben Roethlisberger had recently been injured, so he was playing with an injured foot. Whenever he put any pressure on his left foot, he experienced pretty serious pain. But he decided to “play hurt”. He played the game even though it was painful and threw 5 touchdown passes. He did what he had to do while “playing hurt”. Pretty awesome leader, I think!
In a sense we all “play hurt” at times in the normal course of life. That is, we all will have times in life when we do what we have to do even when we are suffering or hurting. Someone loses a job. A marriage goes bad. A child gets into trouble. We experience deep discouragement. Or, someone we love dies.
I’m no Roethlisberger, but I think I learned a little about “playing hurt” recently.
In the last ten days my mother died and one week later, my daughter-in-law’s Dad died. But I am trying to do what I have to do as a pastor, a father, a husband, a friend. I’m “Playing Hurt”. But I have to keep this in perspective.
I have said good-bye to my 85 year old Mom and my in-law for almost 20 years, Gene Tetterton. My buddy, Sonny Holmes, lost his 33 year old son, Brian, in a senseless murder in July. “Playing hurt” is a common experience, but some of these experiences require more strength than others. I couldn’t imagine how I would or could have gone through what Sonny and Harriet went through and continue to go through.
I did pay attention to the way he “played hurt”. He kept his eyes on Jesus and his wonderful family and went about leading his congregation to continue changing the world. He has been “playing hurt” for a few months now. Just like our Common Leader, Jesus.
Thank you, Lord, for Mama, Gene, Brian, and Sonny.
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