I had lunch with a friend recently and offered her encouragement during a difficult time. I mentioned something I witnessed and always come back to when I am having doubts or feel unsure.

I described watching an 8 man rowing competition during the Summer Olympics several years ago and listening to the coxswain (rhythm keeper) describe how he motivated the winning team during a period in the race when they were behind.

the coxswain is generally a small person because that position does not do any rowing. However, the job is vitally important because it sets the pace, steers the boat, and provides motivation to pull harder to win the race.

I listened in wonder as this tiny man described how he felt as his team began to fall behind their biggest rivals who had beaten them on several occasions. They had given up weekends, gone without things and not fulfilled family obligations to train to beat this team and now they were falling behind. He said he just became angry and began to shout to his team mates: “If not you then who… If not now then when?” He yelled this at the top of his lungs and picked up the pace.

Keep in mind that rowing is a sport that exercises all the major muscle groups and is a test of cardiovascular endurance as well. That said I’m certain that before he started yelling this, his team members muscles were already

yelling “pain!” “pain!” “pain!”

This tiny man said he kept yelling at the top of his lungs “If not you then who… If not now then when?” faster and faster and with each stroke his mantra became more desperate! And slowly they began to pull up to the other team and edged them for the win.

I told my friend this was a lesson for me whenever I found myself ready to give myself an excuse or give in to my fears. “If not you then who… if not now then when?” We spend whole lifetimes trying to avoid the difficult stuff when it serves a useful purpose.

We ask God to take away the obstacles when he has told us he will be with us when we go through the fire, not that he would remove the fire. So when you start your day, ask yourself “If not me then who… if not now then when?”