By Joel Hoffschneider
“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11
The famous tightrope walker Carl Walenda was asked what his secret behind the amazing acrobatics he and his family performed for almost 5 decades. He said…”don’t fall”. Interestingly, a recent study by Paolo Paoletti, an applied mathematician, has determined the physics behind successful tightrope walking.
The sag of a rope changes as a person walks along it, and it is greatest when the person is halfway across. A rope walker who finds the sweet spot can balance more easily because at that point, “all your sensory control information can be easily tuned to the dynamics of the rope. The time that you need to react coincides in perfect balance with the time that the rope makes one swing” AKA The “Sweet-Spot.”
I imagine Joseph sitting in the stable listening to Mary in the pain of labor, pulling his cloak up around the whipping wind, and breathing the stench of the stable. He must have wondered how things could have gotten so crazy. A mere year ago, he was a well-respected, Godly man in his community who had become betrothed to a beautiful young girl. They were everyone’s favorite couple. He must have wondered where his sweet spot had gone, or if it would ever come back.
Thankfully, as Joseph moved forward in faith, he saw the beauty of the plan Abba Father had for them both, that the Boy being born right behind him would offer perfect balance in a world of chaos.
How can we invite God’s guidance in the daily negotiation of our own personal high wire acts in search of the “Sweet-Spot”. How can we transform our desire for control over life’s circumstances into a confidence that the Holy Spirit’s power will lead us over the tightrope towards God’s will?
Brenda Jank and the Run Hard. Rest Well. team are thought leaders in the arena of Restorative Wellness. Find additional resources at www.RunHardRestWell.org. Contact us at: Brenda@runhardrestwell.org
We walk the tight rope and keep our balance by listening to God’s Word and Spirit. We pray that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We step out in faith and obedience to His Word, knowing that he is with us always. Matt. 28:20
Amen.
Amen!!
As I consider this, my mind makes one definitive point. You must take the first step.
Oh my goodness.
Without a doubt, this is spot-on true, Betty!
Makes me think of the song, “Get out of the boat, and walk on water … ”
Here’s to sweet spots and first steps.