The Rope

     In the Midwest, snowstorms can be so pervasive that people tie a rope between the house and the barn, so they can follow it back and forth without getting lost in a blizzard. Those new to the area might think this precaution unnecessary. However, those wiser and more experienced know that self-reliance can kill you in a whiteout.

     Sometimes that kind of arrogance can lead us into dangerous places in the rest of our lives, also.  We assume we have an inherent sense of direction and don’t really require assistance. However, in a spiritual whiteout, it is easy to make a quarter turn without realizing it and walk directly into frostbite of the heart.

     No matter how many years...how many decades we’ve walked with the Lord, or how many Bible studies we’ve done, how many spiritual fads, methodologies, and ideologies we’ve seen come and go, we still need to follow Jesus’ admonition that “blessed are the poor in spirit.”  Humility of heart acknowledges that the longer we live, the more we are aware of what we still have to learn. Wisdom and humility are paired hands in a fruitful servant who desires to honor God and make Him known.

     Let’s not forget to humbly hang onto the Rope as we navigate the challenges of our current culture’s chaotic winter, striving to serve as a beacon in the disorienting and chaotic blizzard around us.