When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”  “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

Luke 19:37-40

The off-season can be tough for sports fans. When our favorite sport is no longer around, we may try to interest ourselves in another sport or even to watch old games from our DVR. But one of the best ways to get through it can be to watch sports movies.

I love movies about sports, and many of the most memorable moments come from the inspirational speeches. You think of Al Pacino in Any Given Sunday, Denzel Washington in Remember the Titans, Mickey in Rocky, or even James Earl Jones’ “People will come” speech from Field of Dreams.

You get chills when you know these scenes are coming. They tap into your emotions, they inspire, and they motivate.

Have you ever heard someone speak in person that motivated you as much as a movie speech? I think most of us have. Maybe it was a sermon, or a key note speaker, or perhaps even just a brother or sister in Christ giving his or her testimony.

Believe it or not, your testimony could be the one thing that a person needs to make a decision for Christ. We often think about the inspirational stories we have heard in movies or by “professional” speakers, and we talk ourselves into believing that our stories aren’t as powerful. Or we convince ourselves that we are not good enough at speaking.

But you never know when your story is the one thing that somebody can relate to. You should never underestimate the relationships God has helped you build, or the work that He has done in your life. Even if you do not deem your story to be exciting enough, God may use your testimony to change someone’s life. It may be another piece of the puzzle that builds on the example you have set for someone or it could be used to water the seed that was planted by another Christian that person has encountered.

Your words are powerful. God’s work in you is inspirational. Share your story so that others may see Him in you.

It’s like the voice in my cornfield always says, “If you build it, he will come.”

– Jamie Boggs, Sports Spectrum Reader

If you would like to submit a reader devotional, please email all submissions to jason@pao.org.