I have spent enough time in the weight room over the years to know that it’s the last few muscle-burning lifts that lead to progress. Those straining to do these last few lifts often ask someone to spot them. A person doing the bench press especially needs a spotter because if the arms burn-out or buckle, the bar and weights can come crashing down on the lifter’s neck or chest. Often a lifter will attempt his maximum every week or two so he can measure his improvement. Here again the lifter will ask for a spotter. Without spotters lifters can do enough to stay fit, but it is hard to make much progress alone.
I know more about lifting than gymnastics, but I know that gymnasts train as a team and that they spot each other. The beautiful aerial acrobatics we see would be impossible without the spotters who carefully watch teammates master dangerous and beautiful feats. Without spotters, they would either stay earthbound or risk serious injury.
In the church we have a shortage of spotters. Men are especially reluctant to ask other men to spot them as they try to grow spiritually. We do enough spiritually to maintain some degree of fitness, but often don’t make real progress because we are working-out alone. Spiritually, we may find ourselves lifting the same weight now we were lifting ten years ago. To make progress, many men need a lifting partner who can spot them—who can encourage them to attempt more than they think they can do. The best spotters don’t just watch, they yell encouragement as the lifter attempts a new personal record.
The lack of spotters is one reason that spiritual gifts are so often undiscovered and undeveloped. Gifts operate by faith and faith is like a muscle that gets stronger the more we use it. But stepping out in faith is scary. Like the gymnasts, we need spotters to keep us safe—ones that encourage us that we are hearing from God. We need a safe place to fail and spotters who will encourage us to try again. Most of all we need the humility to say to another, “Spot me.”
