Let Me Lead

I love a good leader, how about you? Someone to hold your hand and say, “Let me lead. I got this, trust me.”

I had the opportunity to swing dance with my pastor a couple weeks ago. What fun! He danced with quite a few ladies at a recent outdoor blues concert in our town. He made quite the impression.

Up until he started dancing, everyone was just sitting around in their chairs. No one dancing, just sitting, like a bunch of bumps on a log. We’ve all become pretty complacent after a year of covid, haven’t we? Where is the zest for life? Let’s move! So Fr. Matt did what he loves to do; get the party moving, by leading the dance.

After he got me out of my chair, and we started to dance, I wasn’t expecting him to say “Take my hands and let me lead.” It was like a light bulb went off in my head. It was so much easier to follow someone who knew what they were doing. And then I had an “aha” moment. I knew I had to write down those words. “Take my hands and let me lead.” Do you ever have those moments when you feel like Jesus is trying to get your attention? This was one of mine.

Trust

As the evening went on, I watched as he danced with the other ladies. He was having a great time! Some ladies had a hard time letting him lead and wanted to take the reins. Some dropped his hands or had awkward steps. Others pulled away completely. Some looked completely at ease letting him lead. They looked like they knew what they were doing. Why is it so hard to put our full trust into another? Why do we always want to be the ones in control?

Teachable

This led me to an idea that maybe engaged couples should take swing dancing lessons before they get married. Teach the men to step up to the plate and lead the women in their lives through dancing. And then teach women how to LET THEM LEAD. But then, let’s don’t stop there, how about we teach them to lead spiritually, as well?

I’ve noticed over the years that more women than men are actively participating in our church. Why is that? Why have men given up and women taken up the role of leader in the family? We have women wanting to be men and men wanting to be women and children not knowing who they are supposed to be. This world has gone mad. I think it stems from losing the traditional roles in the family. They’ve been messed with and screwed up. Everyone’s trying to do it all on their own.

The Challenge

I believe there is a way to correct all of this: We have to let Jesus lead. That begins with prayer. We can all pray to Jesus and ask him to answer our prayers, but let’s kick it up a notch. Let’s invite our spouses to pray with us and our children to pray with us, together. Ask our husbands to lead us in prayer and then watch what God will do.

It’s Day 29 of my 100 Day Challenge. My husband and I just celebrated our 37th wedding anniversary and we have a newborn grandson and a granddaughter due any day. I’m one grateful grandma! I pray for these grandchildren and the kind of world they will be living in when they grow up. As grandparents, we are called to pass on our faith to the next generation. When they look at me with their little faces and grab my hands, I’m going to smile and say, “Take my hands and let me lead.”

God bless–Barb