Alone at the Flagpole

I know that social media is full of stuff that could be categorized as junk. Many of the stories going around are intensely troublesome. Some of the debate going on is just plain scary. And often I just feel like dropping off all interaction through media. However, a few minutes ago, I read something that truly touched me. If you think about it, this story is still troublesome and scary, but it also contains hope…and not a hope that is baseless, but a hope that is deeply rooted.

The title of the post was: “The boy who stood at the flagpole alone.” It showed the picture of a teen boy, not unlike my own son, standing by the flagpole in front of his school awkwardly, like a normal teenager, arms pressed against his sides, eyes tightly shut and head slightly bowed. I took one look at that picture and I began to sob…I mean, really…I was afraid the dog was going to freak out, so I put him outside so I could continue to cry out loud to my heart’s content.

This boy, I don’t even know where he is from, and I don’t care because it really doesn’t matter…stood alone, just like the title says, at the “See You at the Pole” event which took place last week around the country. It is very sad to see that nobody else showed up to pray on that morning at his school. But it is really encouraging that he did!

As I’m currently involved in a Bible study that is asking us to look at our weaknesses and to pray for revival to begin within ourselves and our small circle of personal influence, I can’t help but to see this young man as my inspiration. He is standing within his hula-hoop-size circle of influence and doing what he is supposed to do. He is being obedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to be faithful even if he has to stand alone. He is allowing God to start a revival within himself, even if nobody else is around. He is allowing himself to be available for God to use him. And when we do that, just watch…we are in for a God Show!

That’s what God wants from me…from us…from all of His children: that we are available. He wants us to have hearts that are willing to stand with Him even in the midst of awkwardness and vulnerability. He wants us to take the step of faith and be obedient even if nobody else follows us. He wants us to trust Him to use our ordinary lives to do extraordinary things.

As it happened, social media went crazy with this story in his town and he was dumbfounded by the response. May God receive the glory for this lone warrior and many other kids around the country who decided they were going to take a step of faith and stand, even if alone, to pray on that day. I wish my boys had been among them. I’m sorry to say they were not…but I will show this picture to them this afternoon and see what God may stir in their hearts, as I continue to see what God stirs in mine.

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