Dan Safarik: Bring out the best in others

For 12 years the Green Bay Packers professional football team won only 30 percent of its games. By 1958, they had a record of one win and 10 losses. They had 12 losing seasons in a row. During that period, the Green Bay Packers were a terrible football team.

Then along cam a man named Vince Lombardi. He was a terrific motivator and a people builder. He took over the Green Bay Packers and, during the next nine years with Lombardi as the head coach, the Packers had nine winning seasons. They beat their opponents 75 percent of the time and walked away with five national championships, including the first two Super Bowls. Lombardi was an outstanding motivator and people builder. He knew how to get the best out of his players.

The church is called to build people up. The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 15:12, "We who have a strong faith ought to shoulder the burden of the doubts and qualms of others and not just to go our own sweet way. Our actions should mean the good of others -- should help them to build up others." (J.B. Phillip's Translation)

All of us have people around us we could enable to be the best they can be. One way to do that is to give them a personal challenge. We all know we have to be about more than just living for ourselves. There must be a cause, a reason, a purpose for our lives. We need to know we're doing more than just taking up space.

The apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:1, "I therefore … beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called." Paul is urging the Ephesian Christians to make their life count. He's challenging them. He's saying "don't waste your life, be all God made you to be."

What a wonderful blessing it is to have somebody who encourages the gifts that are in us. I can't help but think of the best example of this I know anything about. My wife, Deb, has helped our son Paul in so many ways. She works hard with Paul on his homework. The most impressive thing to me is the way she has stuck with teaching Paul to play the baritone (looks like a small tuba).

Many of you know Paul has Down syndrome. He's 15 now and in the eighth grade. He plays in the school band. Deb helps him for an hour every day to learn the songs. Several years ago, Paul would play one or two of the songs the band would play at its concerts. Gradually Paul has been able to play all the songs. And recently Paul was judged on a song he played at a music contest and he got a 2. He did not receive special treatment. He was judged like all the rest. We were so proud. We know how hard he had to practice. My wife is amazing in what she helped Paul do because she stuck with it. She truly has brought the best out of Paul.

A little encouragement goes a long way. I Thessalonians 5:11 says, "Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing." God is in the business of building people up. It's the greatest construction project in the world. Let's all sign on to be part of God's crew!


Prayer: Our Lord, Jesus believed in others and loved them to be their best. May we go and do likewise. Amen.

The Rev. Dan Safarik serves St. Luke United Methodist Church in Lincoln. E-mail him at stluke@inebraska.com.