Matt's Muzings
Leadership and Asking For Help
It was a Saturday. My wife Celia and I went to see a New Zealand movie, called Whale Rider set in the Maori culture. It was an excellent movie. A bit later in the day, I took a load of rubbish to the dump and went to hit a bucket of balls at the gof range. I was enjoying the time alone. My plan included a run at the old airport and then home. A typical Saturday so far.
I had run to the end of the old airport and just turned around to run back. A car pulled in front of me to park and I was distracted and all of a sudden I stepped on a large piece of gravel and I turned my ankle. A wrenching pain shot up my leg and I got nauseous. I stopped running and just tried to walk. Each step hurt and I tried to analyze the situation. "I am over a mile from the car. I need to get ice on it ASAP."
I kept hobbling along. More thoughts, "I can do it on my own, I just need to get back to the car". Yet, with each step my ankle demanded I stop. I hobbled along for a quarter mile, getting more and more concerned. I was in need of help. I looked around as cars would drive by but didn't have the humility to ask for help.
Finally, I realized I could make things much worse by ignoring the pain or my ankle and finally I was willing to humble myself. A small white pickup was driving by and I stuck out my thumb. Thankfully, they stopped and I limped over and asked for a ride. I got to my car and then drove home quickly. I got some ice and pain medicine and elevated my leg.
The point that struck home regarding leadership was simply this: There are times when leaders have to ask for help. We are all human and therefore weak and limited. We can't do it on our own and need to admit it. We need others to help us or we will just hurt ourselves. In a sense it is easy when everything is going good, to allow others to help us, but this is especially hard when we are hurting or vulnerable. Yet, all of us at times are hurting and weak and that is when we need to humble ourselves and ask for help. My prayer is that you would have the grace to ask others for help when you are hurting and vulnerable. Even Jesus needed help to carry his cross (Luke 23:26 ).