When Bart went out for the soccer team during his first year of highschool, he had to compete for the goalie position with a senior who, up until Bart's arrival on the scene, seemed assured of the starting position. But Bart beat him out. Bart got the call to start the first game of the season... this long-time senior player, must have been terribly disappointed. A lesser person might have quit in bitterness at being replaced by a newcomer. A more typical boy might have borne a grudge against the one who took his place on the team. But this boy, whose name was Joel, was very special. He was a Christian and his relationship to Christ was very evident in his behavior. Instead of withdrawing from the team and turning against Bart, Joel became the teams' best cheerleader and my son's friend. Joel drove Bart to games, went to parties with him, and most importantly, asked him to be part of the youth group at his church. (Bart then gave his life to Christ because of Joel).
school, he had to compete for the goalie position with a senior who, up until Bart's arrival on the scene, seemed assured of the starting position. But Bart beat him out. Bart got the call to start the first game of the season... this long-time senior player, must have been terribly disappointed. A lesser person might have quit in bitterness at being replaced by a newcomer. A more typical boy might have borne a grudge against the one who took his place on the team. But this boy, whose name was Joel, was very special. He was a Christian and his relationship to Christ was very evident in his behavior. Instead of withdrawing from the team and turning against Bart, Joel became the teams' best cheerleader and my son's friend. Joel drove Bart to games, went to parties with him, and most importantly, asked him to be part of the youth group at his church.