In Men’s Alliance, one of our key values is Trust. We believe the best about our fellow Tribesmen and give them the benefit of the doubt.
This is something that we need to be reminding each other of often. It is far too easy to isolate when we do not trust those around us. It is also easy to destroy others relationships when we cast doubt on those around us when we only look for the worst.
Spending time around the fire and outside of tribe being real with one another is a great way to build trust with your tribesmen. But this isn’t the only trust we want you to develop in your life. Goose has stated “My goal is for every Tribesmen to earn their Patch! Carry the Fire is the most important thing we do in Men’s Alliance.”
In Carry the Fire we are teaching you that the scriptures are reliable and can be trusted. Not just proven right but trusted. And if the scriptures can be trusted then the giver of the scriptures can be trusted.
Many of us have gone through seasons where we didn’t know whether we could really trust God to be on our side if He was even there at all. It is easy to say that a person who doesn’t trust God just doesn’t know Him or hasn’t spent enough time with Him. But I can say that I trust my fifteen-year-old to stop at the next light. I have known her, her whole life. Carried her around like a football, fed her, protected her, taught her everything she knows. Yet I still stomp the imaginary brake pedal on the floorboard and hang on for dear life as we approach the intersection.
Is this trust? Does this convey trust to the young adult in the seat next me? What about when you are entering a season that you do not understand? Do you trust God to guide you and are you listening for His voice? I struggle with this sometimes. God and I have been down many hard roads together and He has never failed me yet. Been through some hard times, experienced great loss and hurt. But I have never been left alone in my sorrow and grief. He has been there every time. He has shown up in so many ways that it would takes weeks or months to tell them all. He has used our story to encourage others who have experienced loss and confusion and anger.
He has shown Himself faithful to Romans 8:28 and I have seen good that only He could work together. As the psalmist said, “whom have I in heaven but you?” Psalm 73:25
Today, as you go, lean not on your own understanding but in all of your ways Trust the Lord and He will make your paths straight. And in so doing, set an example to the men joining you around the fire, to the family you have waiting for you at home and for those in your workplace that do not know the Lord. Be Barbarian Ambassadors in this world of distrust.