I was playing pretty rough with my lab, when he pushed back on his back legs with his front paws started coming forward right at my face.
I couldn’t move out of the way fast enough. Instead, I felt an intense pain on my left eye and a burning down the side of my face. I fully thought the dog had inadvertently blinded me.
In that moment, I stood with tears flowing, tentatively opening my eyes with a tremendous fear that the blurriness in my left eye was indicative of my new life without sight in that eye.
While blinking repeatedly and checking for blood, I wondered if this is how Saul felt in Acts 9 when God struck him blind prior to his conversion to Christianity. It was in that moment, I had a glimpse into the pure panic that Saul must have felt.
As my sight began to clear, my thoughts shifted to the parable in Luke chapter 6, when Jesus says that the blind wouldn’t be able to lead the blind.
“He also told them this parable: ‘Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?’” Luke 6:39 (NASB)
The implication is clear. No, the blind can’t lead the blind. You can’t lead if you yourself don’t know about particular situations. Perhaps it means that you can’t teach if you haven’t been the student. Maybe it means, one leader isn’t effective unless they’ve been an effective follower.
It’s a poetic way to showcase the expectation that a strong Christian who leads, disciples, and mentors others, are likely the ones who have studied the Word, spent time in prayer, and have been discipled themselves.
What does that mean for women walking with Jesus? It means that we need to ensure we are constantly strengthening our relationship with God if we are in leadership positions. It also means that we have to assess those who are in leader positions around us and discern if we are being appropriately led.
My moment of temporary blindness from playing with my dog, was actually one of conviction. Conviction that I need to be deliberately growing to be a better leader, as well as assessing who is teaching me.
It’s amazing how lessons come from our everyday life…conviction from canine playing.
~Emily
Iron Porch 