They Can Only Take You as Far as They Have Gone Themselves

"They can only take you as far as they have gone themselves."

I heard the phrase this week and I've been dwelling on it since. At first I didn't believe it, questioning in my spirit. And I do believe there is a place for supernatural grace, oh I do, but I believe there is truth beyond measure in those words.

"They can only take you as far as they have gone themselves."

Maybe it is a parent whom you've learned under. Maybe a teacher. A worship leader perhaps? And you come to a place where your head bumps the ceiling every time. But not your ceiling, because inside you're zealous and yearning for more. 

More depth.

More wisdom.

More of Him and less of self.

And I believe that I heard the phrase this week because it caused me to look at THEM differently. The parent, teacher, or worship leader. Not with angry eyes or with scoff, but with understanding and even a prayer perhaps. 

"Jesus, take them farther and deeper, so that they would first experience YOU deeper themselves, and THEN, yes then, they could lead again by example."

I've heard Charles Stock speak of his father like this. He did the best that he knew how with what he had been given. 

So often we hold people up to OUR standards and cross them off the list when they don't meet OUR expectations. 

They're stingy.

They gossip.

They're mean.

They parent wrong.

And please realize I am preaching to myself in this. 

These folks whom He has chosen to put in leadership, maybe as a parent or maybe a pastor. Or maybe a friend to run along side of you. They are doing the best that they know how with what they have been given. 

Maybe the stingy was raised by a single father who felt like his money was his prize.

Maybe the gossip has never heard pure silence or kindness spoken.

Maybe the mean saw it modeled for them, every day of their childhood.

Maybe the parenting is the only way they know how.

Now it's YOUR turn and MINE. We can open our squinty eyes and look at the world with love. Not for who they are, but for who He created them to be. 

"They can only take you as far as they have gone themselves."

Relinquish them from the responsibility and take it upon yourself now.