Franklin D. Roosevelt was known for saying, “When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.” I wonder if this was practical advice for people who were rope climbers, or if he penned this as guidance on how to survive challenging times in life. However, the origination came to be it has survived the test of time and serves to be a good reminder for us. I know, for me personally, life is not always easy, and it takes perseverance and great effort to stay the course. Rope is something that has been around for centuries and is a useful object to teach life lessons. What was the purpose the creator of rope had in mind when he first braided it together? I’m assuming it was used primarily for some type of work-related project and then later it was adapted for numerous applications. Here are just a few things involving a rope: retrieving a bucket of water from a well, securing a bridle to a horse, competing in a game of Tug of War, rappelling down a steep raven harnessed to a rope, towing a car, throwing down a rope to someone in a hole to pull them out, having fun on a rope swing tied to a tree limb, crossing a river on a rope bridge, throwing out a life preserver tied to a rope, tightrope walking at the circus, and a host of other things. Ropes come in different shapes and sizes depending on the task you’re proposing to tackle. Rope can be made from different materials consisting of several individual strands that are interwoven to increase the overall strength and capacity for each unique task. Each strand by itself is not very strong, but when woven together with others it becomes 10 times as strong. Large ropes are utilized when pulling heavy loads. It’s just the way physics works in the natural world. Just think about a draft horse who can pull about 8,000 pounds by itself, but when teamed up with another horse they can pull 24,000 pounds. Three times the weight when working together! I think the same theory works for us, so let’s commit to inviting others into the work we’re doing so as to accomplish more with less effort. When we’re woven together like strands in a rope, we can move mountains.

At Crossroads, we have a value that drives everything we do, and it’s to “Love our Neighbors” by supporting them when they come to “the end of their rope”. Now, what does it mean when you come to the end of your rope?! Does it mean you’ve climbed as far as you can, and you’re at the top end of your rope, or is it that you’ve been slipping down the rope and there’s none left to hold on to? In fact, if you slip any more you could fall and hurt yourself. One end will create anxiety wondering ‘where do I go from here?’, and the other end will create a sense of desperation about what to do now that there’s no more rope left to hang on to. To climb upward takes a lot of effort, strength, determination, perseverance, and hard work. Knowing this truth, we want to encourage people to keep climbing and find ropes that lead them to a higher place in life. And for those at the other end of their rope, we want to offer immediate assistance to ensure they don’t lose their grip on life. If you know people who could use some help, then throw them a lifeline, and direct them to Crossroads.