WANTED: SYSTEM.

I’m pretty sure I learned one of life’s most valuable lessons while I was still yet unaware. I was learning about water safety and rescue as a young boy one summer during camp. The first rule I was taught was that no one goes into the water alone. At all times, we adhere to the buddy system and tackle the water with someone who always knows where you are… and you always know where your buddy is.

I can’t say that anything could be more accurate as how we should approach life, faith, and friendship as guys… and I learned this stuff in summer camp as a Boy Scout. How did I screw that up? I’ve found a great need to throw away all the psycho babble and get back to the basics.

If you will allow me to continue this thought into a metaphor, you’ll see what I’m saying. Life is like a deep, beautiful ocean that is so inviting, alluring, and seemingly refreshing. Once we step into this crystal clear water, we discover that it is much deeper than we realize, and much more turbulent than we would expect. At many points through our life, we get hot and thirsty and the water seems so cool and refreshing. So we dive into the depths and soon realize that we’ve run out of air and drowning is our only alternative.

Are you there? Have you jumped in over your head thinking… I’ve got this. Only to find that you’ve gone beyond your ability to survive on your own? Isn’t it amazing how much energy we have when we’re embarking on a new project or opportunity? Have you ever gotten in to something over your head and you find that you’re out of energy… and you’re drowning?

If we only had a system in place that would save us from those disasters… warn us of those risks… or head off danger by watching out for us when we can’t see clearly for ourselves.

I think all of us guys need to get back to a buddy system. We need to know that someone is watching out for us and we need the responsibility to watch out for someone else. Your ocean may be a vice that you just can’t escape. Your ocean may be journeying into faith. The waters we find ourselves in are often both good and bad. You can drown in goodness just as easy as you can drown in evil.

I’ve watched a few families go into dire straits because the husband or wife was committing their life to the church rather than their family. They were so sold on the idea that if they were overworked in the body of the church that everything else would be ok… and they drifted off to sea without a buddy. It helps sometimes to have someone reach out and say… STOP.

Men… stop drowning. Don’t go into life without a buddy. I bet you can count your true friends on one hand… if you’re lucky to have at least one. Remember that all of us want to be wanted. Who has got your back? Whose back do you have? You will never grow in your faith if you aren’t accountable for your actions. It’s painfully obvious that if it’s left up to us to go it alone… we will fail.

I don’t have a magic formula for finding a buddy. That’s something that has to happen naturally. I suggest that you find a small group of guys that meet on a weekly basis to do… whatever. In the time that you spend with these guys… talk about your faith. Talk about what drives you, gripes you, motivates, you, and inspires you. Impart wisdom in what you know… and listen for wisdom in things you don’t know.

Your challenge is to get a buddy system in place. Do this by being an authentic guy, gather with guys, and let it happen.

Christ Jesus called 12 guys together to be agents of change for the entire world. If you read further and spend some time understanding Jesus as the man, you’ll discover that out of the 12, there were 3 that He really hung tight with. If our model is to emulate Christ Jesus, then we’ll gather as men… but we’ll hang tight with a few that will stick with us.

Living Bold requires having a buddy system. There is no end around, short cut, or secret passage that will get you out of the need for authentic buddies. Grab up a buddy and start watching his back. In doing this, you will forget about your own skin… and find a journey of faith underway.

Who’s your buddy?

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About

Welcome, and thanks for dragging yourself over to Live|Bold! My name is Greg Arnold and I am pumped to see you here. This interactive online community is here to point every man toward the cross. Whether you have been a follower of Christ for ages, or you are just stumbling into this strange new world of faith, we have something of value to offer you. This online e-zine is a cross between a blog, a social network, a resource center, and a pulpit. My hope is to inspire you to live your faith on the outside and be a real man for God. We need you in the fight.