We all know someone in our lives at some point or another that uses a certain circumstance in their life as a crutch to keep them from moving forward, from growing, from taking responsibility. In fact, I’m pretty sure we’ve all DONE it at some point. I realized today that I used my stand-by crutch as an excuse for something. My kids. If I can’t get to something, or haven’t done what needed to be done, or have messed up…. I say “yeah well it’s hard getting around to THAT. I have THREE BOYS and some things just get left undone.” While it is true to some extent, I find that I am USING it when I should really just fess up and say “I dropped the ball because I was irresponsible.”
Other places I have used different pairs of crutches: my marriage, friendships, jobs, my Faith, my everyday responsibilities around here.
The truth is, I am capable of more than I do. Capable of being more responsible, but whenever I am embarrassed by the slack I have left behind or by the fact that I am SCARED to do something…. I use crutches as my “get out of jail free” card.
Today was the first time I realized I used a crutch, and it EMBARRASSED me. I was instantly disappointed in myself and started thinking about all the other areas in my life I have done this. It’s time to toss the crutches.
On a more serious note, I have dealt recently in my life with several people who are using very real and very painful crutches to keep them from moving towards HAPPINESS. These crutches are keeping them from accepting LOVE, from accepting RESPECT, from accepting JOY.
Their crutches are just as destructive as mine.
Do you walk with crutches that could be tossed??
MY DAO DAYS 
i hate those kind of questions ( the ones where i am convicted to do more) 😉
if we have a broken or missing or maimed leg a crutch is actually what helps us to keep moving as though we were not broken – or have something missing or maimed.
If we lose our leg i would not recommend throwing away the crutch!
once our leg heals however i would not recommend keeping it as a form of ‘security’.
When it comes to those less obviously physical areas of our life that are broken or missing or maimed considerably more wisdom is required over the use or adoption of crutches, such that we choose the ones that are most ‘appropriate’, not simply the ones that are easily available or that our friends use a lot.
it’s those inappropriate ones, or ones that are used inappropriately we have most need of throwing away.
Jesus was able to make the maimed ‘whole’ and could therefore tell another to cast away thy crutches and carry thy bed and walk.
the best we can hope to do is seek Him for ourselves to help us free ourselves from ours and then maybe to lead others to do the same.
We’re just hypocrites if we try to do it in the reverse order.
The blind leading the blind. 8)
♥
<B
urgh….Seriously?!?
I’m sure I have a crutch…I hope I don’ t over use it! Maybe I do it without even knowing it.
Great post! I have no encouraging words or wisdom though! LOL!
The biggest crutch I carried around when I was younger was the idea that I couldn’t doing anything right. I would be better off not doing anything, instead of just making things worse.
I did finally throw that crutch away, except when it comes to any job involving home repair.
This was powerful. You have me pondering.
xoxox,
R
Wow, friend…. very convicting….
I suppose I do use crutches…. my kids also… ugh…