Corner Guys

"Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city." Acts 14:19-20

Wow! The early church had some pretty exciting drama huh? Can you imagine? Stoned and drug outside the city and left for dead. Crazy. Paul just barely has proven himself to the Christians and some Jews really turned up the heat. They beat the crud out of him basically (stoning was a way to not make anyone guilty of the actual rock that took you out) It was kind of like group justice. You know, like a firing squad. Who knows who actually fired the fatal shot? They thought he was dead. So they left. Then the disciples gathered around him, praying and ministering to him no doubt, and he gets up and dusts himself off and heads back into the city. Are you kidding me? He goes back? That is dedication.

Not only is Paul's determination and dedication exemplary, but you have got to appreciate that in a one-sided fight for his life he had some amazing "corner guys". In boxing there is a trainer, a manager and another guy who are in the fighter's corner. They are there between rounds to gather around the fighter and give him the pep talk and dress his wounds and give him strategy for the next round. They are also there to tell him when the fight is over or to drag him out of the ring if he gets knocked out. Paul had some great "corner guys": guys who gathered around him and got him to his feet. After they ministered to him and prayed for him, he was ready for another round.

Do you have "corner guys"? Do you have a team of friends who will gather around you and help you get back in the fight? Or, protect you when you need it? In the New Testament the paralytic who was brought to Jesus had four friends who carried the corners of his stretcher. There is a ministry called Stretcher Bearers that specifically teaches the principle of having people in your lives to be there for you. Also, it encourages you to be there for others. We need each other. These new friends of Paul's who just had learned to trust him were there for him at a time of intense need. Paul was down for the count and barely made the bell. He needed his "corner guys" to help him. If you went down today, who would be there for you? Maybe more importantly, how many people could rely on you to 'be there' for them?

I believe that the more people you are there for, the more people will be there for you. I will say it again. We need each other. We need to build each other up. We need to encourage one another. We need to dress each other's wounds and pray for one another. We weren't meant to fight alone against whatever odds. I hope this inspires you to be there in somebody's corner when they need you.

In your corner with Jesus,
Pastor Fred

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