Everyone needed to be ready for a flight. Four different suitcases and a duffle bag to be filled, weighed, and rebalanced. The process was made easier with a portable scale and an open attitude of everyone involved. With nervousness, I waited for the conflict and tension to show itself. As we laughed and headed for the door, I caught myself wondering what I needed to learn from this moment.
It is important to have the tools to help each other succeed. We knew our weight limits. Having confidence we were within them came from the shared use of a tool we had confidence in. Eliminating the uncertainty of individual opinions and replacing it with emotionless facts opened up the invitation to work towards a common goal.
A spirit of willingness can trump uncertainty. The addition of a shared duffle bag provided the flexibility that we needed. One persons insight and planning helped everyone.
Waiting on information to shape the plan is often helpful. The natural desire to know and understand the options should be resisted until the available information is known. There is a point in time when we know what we know. In this moment, exploring the options is useful.
As I watched the girls check in, I found myself listening to yesterday’s whispers; “Children, stay with Christ. Live deeply in Christ. Then we’ll be ready for him when he appears, ready to receive him with open arms, with no cause for red-faced guilt or lame excuses when he arrives.” (1 John 2.28) Life will teach and guide. Life is always willing to give us opportunities to prepare. We have more help around us than we realize.
Today is an opportunity to use the tools we have at hand. Being willing to live, work, and walk with others changes everything. Living in a spirit of listening and learning opens up the opportunity to make decisions when the information is here. I was gifted to see this lived out in my life. I have the freedom to do something with it in the moments at hand.
