Lone
Ranger Syndrome
Do not forsake
your friend…and do not go to your brother’s house when disaster
strikes you—better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
Proverbs 27:10
Blair rarely asked for help with
anything. And this morning his do-it-yourself ideology almost cost
him his life…
Blair had decided it was time to start
cutting firewood for the coming winter. So, loading his chainsaw and
other woodcutting tools into his pickup, he headed up on the hill to
cut two dead trees he’d spotted during a recent hike.
He notched the first tree in the
direction he wanted it to fall and began cutting on the opposite
side, just above the notch. Unexpectedly, the tree ‘POPPED!’ and
twisted off the stump prematurely, catching him off guard. As he
turned to run the tree fell, catching his left leg, pinning him to
the ground. Feeling around, he determined nothing was broken or
bleeding. But no matter how hard he tried, he was unable to free
himself. With the realization that his cell phone was out of reach in
his jacket pocket, Blair prayed, “God, I need help. I know I
shouldn’t have come up here alone, but please send someone to find
me.”
Minutes later he heard the low, droning
sound of a four wheeler. Up the well road came his neighbor, Fred,
who would later tell him that he’d heard the chainsaw, and had come
to offer a helping hand.
†
In the long-running 1950s TV western,
‘The Lone Ranger’, the title’s hero fought bad guys and brought
them to justice. Sadly, many of us take on the persona of a Lone
Ranger, fighting our battles alone, exposing ourselves to pitfalls,
dangers, and setbacks that could be avoided if we would only part
with our pride.
As today’s text points out, Lone
Ranger Syndrome is not part of God’s plan for our lives. In truth,
the Lone Ranger wasn’t a loner. His trusted companion,
Tonto, was always by his side, ready to help his friend.
God has positioned our ‘Tontos’
within the sound of our voice. But it’s up to us to ask them for
help.
Prayer
“Help me be humble and
wise, Lord. Help me put to death this Lone Ranger mentality. Teach me
how to ask for help. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”
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