Walk this Way
A few days ago, I was expressing some frustration to my husband about people’s perception of me.
“I am not intimidating! Why do people keep saying this?”, I said.
Ever the Enneagram 2, in the most gentle way possible, my husband said, “Baby, you walk like your daddy.”
Hand on my hip, I gave him the side eye. My whole life I’ve been told how much like my dad I am. My dad used to be 6’3″, 225-pound football player, he was an imposing figure. Even at 74 and not quite the imposing 6’3″, he’s still intimidating. His physical presence often puts people on alert, not to mention his voice. However, my husband wasn’t referring to my dad’s physical presence, but his personality presence. And unfortunately, or fortunately, I share that.
I’ve learned that when I enter a room, people often choose sides, even when they don’t fully know what they’re for or against. It’s the same for my dad. People decide in a moment if they are for him or against him. If they’re for him, there’s often no way to persuade them not to follow him, if they’re against him, there’s no stopping their opposition. This is not learned behavior for me, it’s just in the fabric of who I am. And that’s ok. My dad has often encouraged me to follow his lead in leadership, ministry, and life. He taught me to drive, to shoot a basketball (which could still use some work), to make perfect scrambled eggs, and how to be a good disciple of Christ. Truthfully, my dad taught me to “walk this way”.
In Luke 5, Jesus sets a “walk this way” idea for his disciples. They’ve been fishing all night, Jesus shows up, tells them to try again. They are astonished by the amount of fish they bring in. Then, Jesus says, from now on, you will be fishers of men. Jesus had been teaching from the very boat that had been frustrated with the night before. Jesus had already been fishing for men before he ever introduced the idea to his newfound disciples. For the next 3 years, they would literally walk with Jesus. They would get lessons every day on how to “walk this way”.
Jesus’ love for humanity is ultimately shown on the cross. He encourages us to “walk this way” in 1 John 3:6 “6 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” I don’t know about you, but I haven’t died for anyone. I often think to lay down our lives means to do anything to see people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus.
When Jesus called the disciples, he told them to “walk this way.” When Jesus calls us, he tells us to “walk this way.” Some of us need to learn to walk like our daddy. We need to learn that Jesus has called us and given us the gifts, talents, personality, and grace to walk like him.
