Too Heavy
Exodus 18:18
You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.
When we were visiting our son at CMR, we saw a fantastic object lesson in living colour.
The cadets were charged with accomplishing a variety of different tasks. On each and every one, success required communication and cooperation.
On this particular challenge, the seven cadets were required to do sit ups with the log (a telephone pole size log only shorter). The goal was to do as many sit ups as possible in a set time period. Needless to say, as the time wore on the cadets wore out.
Some cadets even reached a point where they could not sit up any more. When that happened, the parents cheered louder. If that did not work, the coaches shifted them to different positions on the log or put someone, who still had some energy left, next to them to encourage them and help bear the load alongside them.
What an excellent picture of how God’s people, husband and wife, parents and children, friends and church family can work together to achieve God’s purposes.
Our goals are not to be ‘a one man show’. Burnout, stress, jealousies, frustration and overwhelming are all tools that Satan uses to hinder God’s work. By partnering together, we can achieve great things.
Ecclesiastes 4:12
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
This is a life lesson so many miss by avoiding military training. I’m hoping Matt can communicate these lessons to his peers outside of the Forces as well.