"More Important to Support"

We have this big variety show at our school that happens every year and it’s put on by volunteer talent and things. Each grade puts on a dance/act too, and this year I was in change of some of our grade’s decorations. One of them involved having some people stand in the back and hold up a key prop that would shimmer as they moved it.

One of the people assigned to do that was one of my best friends. I asked him because I knew I could trust him, but I never asked how he felt about it. The night of the event came, and I found out from someone else that this friend of mine was really down and feeling anxious. When I asked why, they said it was because he had accepted to help, but deep down really just wanted to watch. The idea of being the person to hold this key prop up made him really anxious.

When I heard this, a simple feeling came over me and it was just this calm that not having the prop would be alright, and that it was more important to support my friend than force him. I found him sitting alone where the audience was going to be (before anyone had arrived) with his head down. I felt the feeling again, so I went and told him that he didn’t need to worry about the prop and that we’d be alright. I told him I couldn’t ask him to do it knowing how he felt. The joy and relief that filled his face warmed my heart. He gave me a huge hug and I felt this wonderful peace and understanding between us. I knew the Lord was teaching me something. Our relationships with people are always more important than things and events.