I can see gloves coming off. I can feel the intensity. It is as a surprised realization when two discovered we are in a boxing ring. The announcer is introducing the main event; it’s us.
I know I was not looking for this battle. At the same time, I believe in the principles I stand for. I was asked to join a side. In accepting the invitation to join others in a quest, I accepted the reality that I might need to stand tall for what we believed to be true.
It is important to note and reflect of the views of others. In the past I have been guilty of being the point of a spear that few believed in. Although there were times where I was confident of the purity and truth of my convictions, I was fighting battles without comrades, allies, or backup. As I look back, I wonder if it was the right time for battle. If I had divine insight, would I have chosen a different time and place?
In the present, the lessons of time and place are fresh reminders of staying connected with a broader community. The views of the people I work for and with matter! In all the right ways, they can see what I cannot. Before I dismiss them, I need to wrestle with them, looking for the gems and insights that I know are there. Even when I have taken all that I can, there is an opportunity to reach for more as I work to collaborate on our response. I maybe the point, but I am never the point, we are.
In the now, the crowd is restless. I can feel their support. I have heard the whispers. I know they are looking for more! I also know that “my enemies are alive and in action, a lynch mob after my neck.” (Psalm 38.19)
This is a battle won by being connected. In the past I let go. Today I am determined to hold on others. They are rocks, sources of strength and courage.
