Not long ago, I set out on a prayer drive into the mountains of Colorado, seeking clarity from the Lord on the season ahead. I didn’t expect to find the answer manifesting itself right in front of me.
As I arrived and began to assess the situation, I watched, taking in everything happening around me—the activity, or lack thereof. That’s when the Holy Spirit began speaking, revealing a deeper lesson and turning this moment into a teaching.
A snowplow—stuck, stranded, powerless on the very road it was meant to clear. The one assigned to make the way safe for others had itself veered off course. And yet, many sat in their vehicles, watching. Some turned around, choosing a different path rather than engaging.
And then came the question—not just for me, but for every man who finds himself witnessing a moment like this: Do you stay in the warmth of your own security, observing from a distance? Do you take the easy way out and avoid the problem altogether? Or do you step out, equipped and willing, to help restore what was meant to lead?
Some watched. Some drove away. But a few stepped forward—until another leader arrived, a man with a tractor, the right tools, and the power to set things back in motion. It took another leader, equipped for the moment, to pull the snowplow free and clear the way again.
A few miles down, another test—a man in a company truck had slid off the icy highway. Unlike the first, he wasn’t a leader—he was simply a traveler who had ventured where he was not prepared to go. No experience. No tools. No capacity to free himself.
I pulled over. I didn’t rush to react—I stopped to assess. Before solving the problem, I checked for injuries. Too often, we only see the stuck vehicle (the circumstance) and forget to check on the driver (the internal state).
I had the tools. I had the experience. But I didn’t have enough strength alone. It took another man stopping, another vehicle adding to the pull, and the combined force of our efforts to set this man free.
Two different situations—one of a leader losing footing, another of an unprepared traveler in over his head. The principles remain:
- Leaders will struggle. Even the ones called to clear the way will find themselves stuck. The question is, who restores them?
2. Some will sit and watch. Others will turn away. But a rare few will step in, equipped and ready to engage.
3. Strength alone is not enough. It takes brotherhood. The right tools. The right people at the right time to pull others out.
4. Before trying to fix a situation, check on the man inside. Address the internal battle before trying to correct the external one.
This is why we forge ourselves in the wilderness. This is why we gather men who are not just passive participants in life, but equipped, tested, and ready to step in when the moment requires it.
If you think you’ll never get stuck, you’re lying to yourself. And if you think you can pull others out alone, you’re lying even more.
Brotherhood is not about comfort. It’s about covenant.
When you slide off the road—who shows up for you? And more importantly—when someone else is stuck, are you the kind who stays in the warmth of your own safety, or do you get out and pull?
