13 "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Matthew 17
Photo by Trey Ratcliff @ Stuck in Customs.
Here it is (and feel free to laugh): No wonder I keep getting bumped!
If the road is narrow and hard, when you encounter a person along the Way, they probably fit in one of four categories: a leader, a bumper, a linker, or a follower.
Ever been on a narrow trail? I've run one with a group of girls that were all working out together. I discovered I like to be in the middle of the pack. If I am in the front, inevitably someone wants to pass me to set their own pace. If I am at the back, I begin to slow down with no accountability behind me. But in the middle, I keep running at a steady pace. I'm pretty sure all of us want the same - good leaders, friends who run alongside us, and people who follow after, affected for the better by the example of our lives.
The leaders: On the narrow trail, really good leaders are few and far between. They can urge you forward without judging your progress. They warn you of pitfalls. They pave the way ahead, marking out the road for those behind them.
The bumpers: The narrow width of the path means there isn't much room for people to run together unless they are lockstep linked. So the bumpers fulfill their roll by sharpening us with their knocks. They remind us to keep the focus on the path beneath our own feet. (When we start to compare, we become bumpers ourselves!).
The linkers: These people are really, really rare. In order to run together on a hard, narrow path, these people have to link arms and step in sync with you on your journey. They are unafraid to be close, courageous enough to share in encouragements and pain. Most exist for just a portion of the way, falling back or leaping forward to lead you on. Some step in time and stay for longer periods.
The followers: These people are necessary. Without followers, you might lose hope. Instead, when you turn around to see how far you've come, you realize that others are depending on your leadership to make the path ready for their feet.
A reporter once asked Elvis: “Elvis, when you first started playing music, you said you wanted to be rich, famous and happy. Are you happy?” He replied, “I’m lonely as hell itself.”
On the broad road, everyone pursues their own goals. Lonely and spread out, they don't even bump into to each other on the way to destruction. I am grateful for the Way that leads to life, even if it means I might get knocked about from time to time.
5 comments:
Erin - that was SO good! Really insightful.... I'll reference this blog one day ;)
OKay Erin, was this what you were thinking about during our trail run, because I'm pretty sure I was just concerned with staying alive and not being eaten up by bugs (which happened anyway). Good post my friend... I wonder which one I am. Or maybe throughout life we take a turn playing each role listed.
@ Rod: Well that too. :) To be honest, we just ran again - just me and Dean - and it was a lot harder because he made me stay in front. This time, right afterwards I went to Shoreline and they sang "And I will run, Forever I will run." Seriously laughed out loud because all I could picture was how pathetically I had just run.
Appreciate the recommendation. Let me try it out.
Asking questions are actually good thing iif yoou are not understanding anything entirely,
except this post offers nice unnderstanding even.
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