In the books of Mark and Luke in the New Testament, there is the story of four guys carrying their paralytic friend to Jesus. I’m sure they had heard of Jesus’s healing powers, and for the first time in no telling how long, they had hope for their friend.
We don’t know how far they carried him, but we do know from the text that when they arrived at the house where Jesus was teaching that the crowd was so large that they could not get anywhere near Jesus.
While they may have been frustrated and discouraged, they did not give up. They made their way onto the roof and removed a large section of the roof material. They then proceeded to lower their friend into the room where Jesus was teaching.
I can picture the seen in that room as material began falling all around Jesus and those near him. As the opening became more obvious, the mat came into view. Then, ever so slowing, the mat began to descend into the room.
The four mat guys were amazing!
- Committed: They took the initiative to get their friend to an opportunity of healing.
- Persistent: They didn’t give up when the obstacles in front of them became difficult.
- Innovative: When faced with uncertainty, they found a way.
- Diligent: The roof approach was hard, but it was the only way.
- Trusting: They lowered their friend and released him outside of their control.
I love that story for so many reasons, but I love the mat guys! I want to be a mat guy for people in my life. I want all of us to be mat guys for people in our lives!
Mat guys:
- Have a focus beyond themselves
- Embrace obstacles and don’t give up when adversity hits
- Keep searching and seeking until they find a way
- Realize that at some point, they need to let go to experience what’s possible
This past summer, I have witnessed the Ruston community come together and rally around Lux. I have seen this community come together and Love Lillian.
I know there are things that we can point to that are disappointing, discouraging, and sometimes distressing about the community, but as long as we have “mat guys”, there is hope for the future. As long as we can continue to seek the best for others, act on those opportunities, and keep pressing forward in the midst of adversity, we can continue to “make it better”!
Where is your opportunity to be a “mat guy”? Where can you take the focus off yourself and seek to lift another up, support someone else, or add value to the life of another person?
Can you be a mat guy?
Doug equips leaders to make organizations better. He has two leadership books available on all online platforms. Whether you are looking for a speaker for your next event or a leadership coach to develop people and build an authentic team, contact Doug at doug.strickel@gmail.com and learn more about PLUS.
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