Thoughts on glory

I saw a story a long time ago on the CBS evening news that captivated me (and no, this isn't about Christian music). In fact, I've thought about this story many times since I was it. Some of you will no doubt remember it.

Jason McElwain was the high school basketball team trainer. Small, enthusiastic, full of life. . .and autistic, he attended every practice of the team's, grabbed rebounds for the players, and helped however he could. Jason attended every game, sat on the bench, acting as the team's biggest cheerleader from outside of the game.

And, I'd butcher the story if I told it any further. Watch:


Jason McElwain - Unlikely Hero - These bloopers are hilarious

I cry almost every time I watch this video. It builds in me as I watch the video, beginning when he goes into the game. And, as he hits his first shot, the team bench goes nuts. Then, he hits another, and the crowd starts to go nuts. And finally, he hits the last shot at the buzzer, and the crowd, made up of many of his peers, storms the floor, swarms Jason, and carries him off of the court. And, I don't know, I might be reading way too much into it, but man, what a great picture of glory. I think about myself in high school, how I treated autistic kids in my mind, and I marvel at the depth of love those students showed Jason. To me, it's nothing short of glorious. I want that kind of emotion in my relationships with friends and loved ones, coming out of my chair to cheer them on, to carry them off the floor in their victories, and to cheer just as loudly in their misses.

Doesn't it make you feel good?