High 5’s in the Dark
We don’t give enough high-fives.
I remember being a young child with a group of classmates in recess or at VBS. Playing games, team relays, and going for your personal best. One thing was prevalent - there were a lot of high-fives.
We need to bring that back. And not just for the kids at school. We all need a high-five from time to time. What could it do for our overall mental and physical well-being?
The University of California-Berkeley did an interesting study several years ago involving high-fives and NBA basketball. They wanted to study whether high-fives or fist bumps could be correlated to the team's success. Unsurprisingly, the teams who encouraged each other and high-fived during the games were successful. The encouragers won more games than those who bad-mouthed, talked down to, or didn’t speak positively to team members or referees.
It may seem silly but encouraging others is not only for small children or athletes. Whether you work in a cubicle in a room of fifteen other cubicles or you are out on a construction site with your team, everyone needs positivity. A pick-me-up or motivational moment to keep pressing on.
Sometimes the days are hard. Sometimes you’re tired. Sometimes you’re just not having a good day but you can’t put your finger on why. Sometimes you just need someone to give you a high-five or a fist bump and say, “You got this” or “Way to go.”
When life feels dark, we need all the encouragement we can get. High-fives saying, “Keep your head high,” “I’m praying for you,” or “You are going to get through this” keep us going. Reminding us that we are not alone no matter the circumstance. The words may not change the situation, but they certainly encourage us to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
There’s great power in doing life together. Allowing your team of closest friends to support you and walk with you not only in the good times but also through those that are the darkest. We can learn from those who have gone before us, but we also have the opportunity to be an encouragement to others. There’s not a moment that goes by in which our lives are not being watched. And I don’t mean in a creepy, stalky way. Rather, others are watching how you walk through joyous seasons, but also the darkest valleys.
Whatever season you may find yourself in, choose to live with a thankful heart. Choose to extend a high-five or a fist bump to encourage someone along the way today. I think you’ll end up being blessed in return.
And just in case you were curious - the current Guinness World Record for the most high-fives in a twenty-four-hour period by an individual is 15,338. The record is currently held by Jim Foliano from Cincinnati. He conducted his record at the Flying Pig Marathon and a Cincinnati Reds baseball game in 2023.
That means we’ve got some work to do!
1 Thessalonians 3:12-13, TLB
And may the Lord make your love to grow and overflow to each other and to everyone else, just as our love does toward you. This will result in your hearts being made strong, sinless, and holy by God our Father so that you may stand before him guiltless on that day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns with all those who belong to him.
