I could have ripped my pants...

coloradoguy.com

Last night I had the the privilege of meeting with some of the guys from my church.  We are all going to be preaching in the coming weeks, so we spent time going over our sermon notes.  I am very thankful for the encouragement as well as the challenges the meeting presented.  I think it is great when brothers dwell together in  unity (Psalm 133:1).

After the meeting ended, we all walked down this path that cuts through the woods from my pastor's house to the church parking lot.  It was very dark outside and there was no light to illuminate the wooded path.  I was walking behind the other brothers, following them in the darkness.  I could not see the ground nor could I see my feet.  I felt as if every step I took was a risk.  As we walked more, it became darker and more difficult to see.  I had the advantage of following the men in front of me.  I trusted their judgment.  And if one of them fell, it would have been a good sign not to do what that guy just did.  Ultimately, it was an okay situation for me because I had the privilege of having others who were going before me.  I would be able to learn from their error as well as follow in their footsteps.

God has strategically places Christians in our lives who have experienced similar pains and pleasures, trials and adventures, and love and loss so that we may learn from these spiritual elders.  While my initial thought was to "be a man" and navigate the dark path without watching my brothers' footsteps, I quickly recognized that this would most likely result in torn pants.  Jesus does not want us to tear our pants if He provides us with the opportunity to watch someone else who already did.  This is why Paul writes to us in 2 Corinthians 1 that we endure various trials and receive comfort from God only to share this comfort with others who are enduring the same trials.  When we learn from those who have maturity and experience, we will not rip our pants as often as we would if we chose to walk on our own.  True story.