I am convinced…
Every man needs a champion. Every boy needs a cheerleader.
Last night my sister sent me this photo. It is a picture of my grandfather and me at my thesis defense almost a decade ago. While I don’t remember posing for this particular photo, immediately I thought, “every man needs a champion.” My next immediate thought was a mental image reminder from 30+ years ago when, as a boy, my grandfather lifted me into the air saying, with all the congregation to see, “This is my grandson! This is my grandson!” I was a boy of six years old. At home I told my mom and then my grandfather that I wanted to be baptized and give my life to Christ. This mental image is the Sunday morning I walked down the church aisle, where my grandfather served as deacon, to give my hand to the preacher and my heart to Christ.
Every man needs a champion. Every child needs a cheerleader. While my grandfather died two years ago and I miss him very, very much, his posture towards me I wear every day. His high expectations of my character matched by his confidence in me and his pride for me show up in the health of my body, my mind, the resolve of my soul and the life of my spirit. I can’t imagine what little I would be, where I would be, without my grandfather cheering me on and championing my cause. And he wasn’t the only one! He was just one of the leaders in the pack.
Every man needs someone to make it their business that the man remain encouraged, remain seen for who he is at his core and who he can be, remain present at the mountain top moments and the hill climbs and valley escapes along the way, remain unabashedly related and in his corner, remain cognizant of his journey, remain vocal when words and cheers are needed, and remain quiet with a strong hug when confidence and acceptance is conveyed more through touch than by words. Every man needs a champion.
The boy needs someone to cheer him on, to see his core when everyone else is judging his performance, to notice him when no one else can see, to lift him higher than his height allows, to drive him further than his legs or his dreams can comprehend, to endure the journey, to wisely ensure rest, to wisely correct—seeing him worthy of correction and training, to tell him, “No”, to teach him the power of his hands and mind and voice, and to model regularly for him what it is to respect others, love your neighbors, care for your family, handle responsibility, love his wife, love His God…and finish well. Every boy needs a cheerleader.
Who will you cheerlead? Who will you champion?
-OrLando Yarborough III
