There is a story in Exodus about how friends came alongside Moses and helped lift his hands to the heaven after his arms grew weary in prayer. As long as Moses prayed with his arms outstretched the Israelites won the battle. But with the noonday sun beating down on his bald head and the force of gravity draining the blood from his arms, Moses grew weary, and his arms began to weaken. Then his good buddies came alongside him to help.

Exodus 17: 12 When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.

I love that story because it teaches us the humanity of ourselves and of others. Recently another such  event took place in the dusty college town of Ellensburg, Wash. Tyler Lobe, a student I taught last quarter, sent me the link, and a photo of himself with the friends in this story.

http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?&brand=null&videoId=3380875&n8pe6c=2