Courage to Lean
What does it mean to "lean"? Hm...you know when you think of leaning on someone or something the first thing that comes to some people's minds is weakness...that could be part of it but not the whole story.
Leaning is about resting on someone or something for support. It could also refer to reliance on someone or something...it indicates a level of trust in that person or thing. Think about it, when you lean on a wall or a person, you "trust" that the wall or person will not "move" or cause you to fall - or isn't that your expectation when you lean on something or someone? Well, that's my expectation...let's go on...
Now for us Christians, there is a different perspective. The Bible is clear that we must trust only God absolutely(Psalms 118: 18); the benefits are unmatched (Psalms 125:1) and the repercussions are not pleasant - Jeremiah 17: 5-8 brings it together nicely:
Esther demonstrated courage to lean, she not only fasted for 3 nights, she asked Mordecai to go and ask the Jews to do the same thing and "trusted" that for the fact that they worshipped the same God, the other people would support and participate in the fast whole-heartedly.
Sometimes, we stop trusting people because of past failures or disappointments. People will always fail you - yes because they are not infallible. Only God cannot fail us - He doesn't know how to fail.
The ability and choice to lean on God and possibly other people is rooted in some level of confidence and courage. It takes courage to "relinquish control" and hand it over to God and sometimes to those He has brought your way. God places people in our lives for a reason or a season and He expects us to seize the moment and become better people to His glory.
We always need help in our lives (at least I do). We must be courageous (growing in faith) to lean on God...then we can stand tall and strong to fulfill His plan and purpose for our lives.
What does it mean to "lean"? Hm...you know when you think of leaning on someone or something the first thing that comes to some people's minds is weakness...that could be part of it but not the whole story.
Leaning is about resting on someone or something for support. It could also refer to reliance on someone or something...it indicates a level of trust in that person or thing. Think about it, when you lean on a wall or a person, you "trust" that the wall or person will not "move" or cause you to fall - or isn't that your expectation when you lean on something or someone? Well, that's my expectation...let's go on...
Now for us Christians, there is a different perspective. The Bible is clear that we must trust only God absolutely(Psalms 118: 18); the benefits are unmatched (Psalms 125:1) and the repercussions are not pleasant - Jeremiah 17: 5-8 brings it together nicely:
Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited. Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit." (New King James Version)Now this is not to say you should not trust or lean on a man...it just means that in relying on a fellow human being, it should be based on God's grace at work in him/her not on that person's ability or affluence.
Esther demonstrated courage to lean, she not only fasted for 3 nights, she asked Mordecai to go and ask the Jews to do the same thing and "trusted" that for the fact that they worshipped the same God, the other people would support and participate in the fast whole-heartedly.
Sometimes, we stop trusting people because of past failures or disappointments. People will always fail you - yes because they are not infallible. Only God cannot fail us - He doesn't know how to fail.
The ability and choice to lean on God and possibly other people is rooted in some level of confidence and courage. It takes courage to "relinquish control" and hand it over to God and sometimes to those He has brought your way. God places people in our lives for a reason or a season and He expects us to seize the moment and become better people to His glory.
We always need help in our lives (at least I do). We must be courageous (growing in faith) to lean on God...then we can stand tall and strong to fulfill His plan and purpose for our lives.
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