Yale University Men’s Basketball qualified for the NCAA tournament and was sent to Spokane, Washington for their first-round game. Spokane, Washington is 2,652 miles from Yale’s campus. Due to spring break, the Yale Pep band was unable to secure enough people to send the band to the game, so they reached out to the University of Idaho for help.
The Idaho band agreed to help.
A meaningful reflection of Jesus happens as we show up for others.
What a generous gesture by the University of Idaho band to stand in the gap and support the Yale team. As we dig a little deeper into the details of this story, we find several really good nuggets that are helpful for us as we seek to reflect Jesus through showing up, supporting, and standing in the gap for others.
1. The gesture was inconvenient — Fresh off the road from playing at their own team’s conference tournament in Las Vegas, the Idaho band received the request on Sunday, March 17. The Yale game would be on Friday, and the Idaho band was prepping for a major event on Saturday. They took on the extra assignment even though they were in the midst of a busy schedule.
Truth: Showing up for others will rarely fit our schedule. To support others in their time of need means we will be inconvenienced in our schedule.
2. The gesture was prepped — The Idaho band didn’t just show up, they prepared for the event. They didn’t just learn the fight song, the studied film on YouTube from previous tournaments to see what cheers and chants the band did during a game.
Truth: There’s an extra level of worth we can communicate to people when we show up and it happens through showing-up prepared. This can look like arriving at the hospital with flowers or showing up to the game with a sign.
3. The gesture was continued — Idaho showed up on Friday for Yale’s game against Auburn and Yale won the game, which meant Yale would play in the second round on Sunday. The gesture of showing up for one game had turned into two games.
Truth: In our mind’s-eye, we often have a picture of what we’re signing-up for when we commit to show-up. We are willing to serve up to the point our expectation is met, but sometimes the situation calls for more. How we adapt as the circumstance changes is a meaningful opportunity for reflecting Jesus and communicating love.
Let’s be on the look-out for opportunities to show-up for others and let’s do it to the full extent of our capabilities. Even if it includes a tuba.
Keep Reflecting Jesus!