We all love to be the hero and save the day. But the pride of isolation wins out when we are in need of help. What if we saw our times of needing help as chances to make somebody feel like a hero? I know that goes way against a John Wayne Republican Protestant work ethic, but really, consider it!

I need help. My chainsaw is stuck in a tree that weighs 6,000 pounds. If only I had another chainsaw, I could cut a wedge here and get my chainsaw loose. My buddy Paul has a chainsaw and he is mowing grass at his house today.

“Paul, I need your help!” Paul becomes the hero, I’m the damsel in distress, and he does two cuts in the log and my chainsaw is free. Some high fives and thanks, and he’s back to mowing and I have my saw back.

I wish that’s what happened. Instead, I was in “I’ve got this!” mode and I hacked on that log with a maul for an hour.

Hack

Hack

Sweat

Breathe

Hack

Hack

I seriously thought I was going to have a heart attack. My callouses had blisters and the blisters were busting that clear fluid out. Really, it’s true. An hour later my chainsaw was free and in need of repair.

I know how that story should have gone. But by trying to be the hero myself, I neither became the hero nor allowed anyone else to be that guy.

As part of living with my brothers and sisters in community, John Wayne needs to have a funeral already.

Every time my boys argue I quote Proverbs 17:17 to them.

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Proverbs 17:17 ESV
http://bible.com/59/pro.17.17.ESV

 

When I’m out having a heart attack at the park while I cut up fallen trees, I need to quote it to myself too! (or have a brother quote it to me in advance!)

We need to live in a culture where we admit that we need each other and we aren’t afraid to ask for help. As we grow and become of “one heart and one mind” like the group in Acts 2, our humility and trust in each other will grow, and Christ will show off in us more and more as the true Hero.

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