The Boxer’s Body Language
12 “So then, brace up and reinvigorate and set right your slackened and weakened and drooping hands and strengthen your feeble and palsied and tottering knees, 13 And cut through and make firm and plain and smooth, straight paths for your feet [yes, make them safe and upright and happy paths that go in the right direction], so that the lame and halting [limbs] may not be put out of joint, but rather may be cured.” Hebrews 12:12-13 Amplified Bible
The Book of Hebrews Chapter 12 begins by discussing Jesus, His example, and His sacrifice. But then in the verses above, we are reminded to “brace, reinvigorate and set right” our slackened arms and tottering knees. What exactly does that mean?
Well, when you think of someone that has slackened arms and tottering knees, you are picturing someone that has no strength, someone that has given up and is defenseless. It is the look of a person who is about to get beaten down because He has no defenses up and seemingly no longer cares. Think of the body language being described here. How often is this the way that you look because you are beaten down by life?
Let me give you an even stronger mental image. Think of a boxer in the ring, having already gone through multiple rounds with their opponent. They are losing the fight and have been battered each round by their adversary. What is going to happen to that boxer if he comes out for the next round with his body “slackened” and “weakened”? As his opponent sees this body language he is going to sense that victory is close and go in for the finish. Imagine the adversarial opponent then realizing that the boxer has dropped his hands and is not offering any defense at all. The boxer’s knees are “tottering”; he is almost ready to go down to the mat for the final count. Not a hopeful picture is it?
Too often this is the way we start each day. We come out of our corner and we just expect to get pummeled by another day, and the enemy of your soul is all too happy to inflict that expected punishment upon you. If he sees you are weak, offering little or no defense, he is going to come after you with his best punch in the hopes of sending you to the mat.
Has life been exceptionally difficult of late? Do you feel as though you are coming out of your corner with nothing to offer, making you a punching bag for the enemy? That is not the way is has to be and that is not the way that it should be. You have the victory in Jesus. He has already dealt with your boxing adversary and defeated Him. You don’t have to come up with a miraculous knockout punch as we see in the movies. You just have to stand in Jesus. That’s it. Just stand in Jesus and you enforce the victory.
However, to stand means that you are postured correctly. You have to put your hands up and offer a defense. In other words, lift up your arms in praise and thank Jesus for the victory even before it is evident. Set a straight path for your feet by being in the Word. Set yourself right by looking to Jesus and not the circumstances. Do this and the fight that has already been fought and won will be played out before you and the result being your victory and your enemy’s defeat. You are not the enemy’s punching bag so stop taking the punches and brace up and reinvigorate yourself in
Jesus.
J Todd Hostetler