learning to follow

As a soldier, often we are given responsibilities. I crave these times. The authority, the rush of being at the front and meeting the enemy head on, the taste of victory, even the misery of defeat and the lessons learned, every bit if it is invigorating!

But after marching back with the taste of battle still fresh in your mouth, you have to submit under whatever authority had been over you before that deployment. You're no longer in charge, you no longer have that responsibility, and it's really tough.

That's something I've had to deal with over the last couple of weeks. My initial response was to treat my authority like one of those under me. I saw a problem, so I confronted him with my solution- the only solution of course. Needless to say that didn't work. It's not supposed to work that way! You can't just live your life like a sergeant over a unit all the time! Lecturing and demanding may work in the heat of battle, it may work for the few people of humanity that actually like it, but it's not the way God has designed us to work with our authorities, or even with our peers.

The solution is to learn to follow. Fall back in line as a simple soldier, no matter how tough it may be, and it will be tough! I'm having to learn these things and test the methods myself:

• Support him in every way
• Overlook his faults
• Be the soldier that I want to have under me
• Submit, submit, submit!

Meekness is strength under control, perhaps that's the best one-word description of this lesson. I think of the war elephants of Hannibal, these massive creatures capable of destroying scores of soldiers simply by charging through the troops. And yet they submitted themselves to their trainers, their drivers, those in authority over them. These men could easily be crushed in a moment, but these were creatures of meekness.

Ok, I admit I know virtually nothing of Hannibal, elephants, or ancient warfare tactics. But I am learning about meekness, and I believe that if I can submit to my Almighty General, He will train me to be that warrior that only He can picture right now.

hanging my head in shame

I am truely ashamed. I have gone over a month without writing anything. I shall sit in the ashes of repentance, mourning my sin and not even think of crying out "writer's block!" as a pitiful cry for mercy.

I shall now write something meaningful.