Whose Shoulders Are You Standing On? Are You the Shoulders for Others?

"We live on dead people's heads..."
Annie Dillard

Kind of a macabre quote, but Dillard's point is that we all live and stand on the lives and witnesses of those who have gone before us, both the living and the dead. We stand on the shoulders of those who loved us, encouraged us, and moved us (sometimes unknowingly) into a life of discipleship. I stand on the shoulders of...

Mrs. Bonneson--my 8th grade Sunday school teacher at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Atlantic, Iowa.
Rev. Homer Larson--taught the Gospel every week at Nazareth Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Rev. Jay Braband--discipled me, officiated my marriage to Julie, baptized Ian.
David VanNingen--my boss at Hope Haven and one of the best leaders I've ever met.
Revs. Mike Molenaar and Tom Smith, and all the people of Faith Reformed Church in Rock Valley, Iowa.
Dr. Tim Brown and the entire Western Theological Seminary community--loving us and preparing me for ministry.
Seth Sundstrom--challenges me with every conversation;. A wonderful mentor and friend.
Shane Sterk, Clarence DeYong and the people of Faith Community Church in West Chicago, Illinois--loving, worshiping, blessing, and serving in community!

I could list so many more! (Many of them happen to be here in Pella this weekend!)

Then the question is: are you being the shoulders for others? "There is no holier object in view than your neighbor."Make them think of you when they think of the shoulders upon which their discipleship emerges and grows.