A Pig with a Wristband

Once again, my good friend and Christian counselor Dave Garrison has come through with another great blog. Hope you enjoy.

--Dan

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“You’re such a pig!” Not the kind of comment or description a guy wants to hear. It’s insulting at best. But perhaps there’s something to be learned from being “like a pig”. 

Imagine if you will, waking early to a cool crisp morning. You’re captured by the unmistakable aroma of bacon cooking in a frying pan. You make your way to the kitchen to find a piping hot plate with two perfect sunny side up eggs and a couple of strips of bacon glistening with a little grease just waiting to satisfy your growling stomach. With a quick prayer “Thank you God for the hen who laid the eggs, the pig who is no more, and for the wonderful person who prepared this morning meal” you gobble it down.

After one such all-American meal, I was reminded of the question “Are you the chicken or the pig?”  In the egg and bacon breakfast, the chicken merely participated, but the pig was fully committed.

What about you? Are you the chicken or the pig? Do you put in the bare minimum or are you fully committed? 

The Thin Red Line wrist band is about being fully committed to God, your family, and striving to be the man God intended you to be…no simple egg laying, minimal participation permitted. Honestly, I want to be the pig; fully committed, but I find myself sometimes playing the chicken—taken aback by the enormity of the responsibility.  Just like the guy speaking to Jesus, “I believe, I believe.  Lord, help me in my unbelief.”  (Mark 9:24)

The Thin Red Line is tough, tougher if you trying to go it alone. So here’s a simple (not necessarily easy) step to take: 

Find a group of guys to work the Thin Red Line with. Ecclesiastes 4:12 says “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Pretty much Bible Talk for: You can’t do this alone. Having an accountability partner is better…and having three is even better. 

So what if you don’t have a group? Create one!  Ask two or three guys to meet for coffee, lunch, whatever works. Reaching out to them might be uncomfortable, but chances are they’ll be grateful you thought of them.  Most likely, they’re probably going through (or have gone through) similar stuff you’re working on. 

Knowing there are a couple of guys who have my back...and who won’t let me get away with half-hearted (chicken) participation in life...has been incredibly powerful. 

So here’s an invitation: Stop being the chicken and start being the pig. Walk with some other guys in the mess of life…being fully committed to be the man that God created and intended you to be.

--Dave