I have had the privilege to serve at NMCS for the past 17 years and my desire has been to inspire young people to make a difference in this life. We have so many students with potential to do great things, but it often requires someone willing to invest compassion and commitment into their lives, to see the potential they have come to fruition. I’m reminded of a story by Dick and Judy Hoyt. They had a son, named Rick, born to them in 1962. As a result of oxygen deprivation, Rick was diagnosed as a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy. Told that Rick had no chance of recovery, his parents were advised to institutionalize him as he would be a vegetable.They refused to accept this advice and instead, they brought him home, determined to give him normal childhood experiences. At age 12, Rick was able to begin communicating with the help of a speech device. One day, he told his father that he wanted to participate in a 5-mile race to help a teenager who had been paralyzed in an accident. There was one big obstacle– His dad was not a runner. Nevertheless, he agreed to push his son’s wheelchair for the entire race. After the race, Rick told his father, “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped.” With that race and that statement, Team Hoyt was born. For the past 37 years, Dick has pushed, pulled, and carried his son through thousands of races, including the Boston marathon (where a statue of Team Hoyt is erected) and triathlons – including the grueling Ironman, made up of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike-ride, and 26.2 mile run. The point of this story is that every single life has value regardless of their physical or mental abilities. We must be willing to look past the problems people have and see their potential. That’s exactly what Jesus did for every one of us! Let me challenge you this week to invest in someone’s life, you might never know the difference it will make.
Article by:
Matt McDaniel
Assistant Pastor, NMBC