NEXT GEN SUNDAY: YOUR WAY IS BETTER

There is probably no worse feeling in the world than feeling like you are all alone. I have spent a lot of time outdoors hiking or walking in the woods, sometimes in places where I was not at the top of the food chain. I can honestly say that I have felt so much more vulnerable when I am by myself than when there is at least one more person with me. When I am alone, I am constantly checking my surroundings, but when someone else is along I tend to let my guard down. Even though that person doesn’t really change the chance of something happening to me, it is comforting to have someone else there.

The apostle Paul, in his early life, was on the ladder to success. He had attained a high level of status among his people. He held a high position in his religious sect and actively lived out his beliefs even at the expense of taking people’s lives. He probably felt pretty good about himself, and he quite possibly felt like he didn’t need anyone else to get where he wanted to go. But that all changed when he encountered Jesus. Suddenly, his ability to connect to other believers was blocked by his past behavior. It took another person, Barnabas, to help him connect to the other followers of Jesus.

We can often feel like we are making it on our own. We get some success in our spiritual life and ministry. We begin to make our own way in life, but a faith journey is tough. There will be difficult times when our past (or other people) will hinder us from getting where we want to be. That is why it is so important for us to be connected to someone else.

Early in my ministry journey, I had a leader who consistently told me, “Don’t ever do ministry alone. Always take someone with you.” He also encouraged me to make sure I was always connected to someone who was further down the road than I was. It is those words that still ring in my ears when I think about my spiritual journey.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says, “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.  If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.  Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone?  A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” (NLT) 

Life is hard enough without trying to be a spiritual lone ranger. So who is on your journey with you? Who are you bringing along and who is walking with you?