“The difference makes the difference”
In the settlement of the old west, there were men that went first. They were different than others, they didn’t mind being alone and isolated. They had a way about them that caused them to stand out. They wanted to see what was ahead first. They looked and dressed different than the others. One such man was the scout for the wagon train. They seldom had the shelter and luxuries that the other members enjoyed. They wore leather clothes for protection from the elements. They were in constant danger from wild beasts, snakes and unfriendly humans. They were always out ahead looking for the best paths to take and constantly on the lookout for danger, taking stock of all aspects in the movement of the wagon train. He was called the scout for a reason. His job was to guide the train to reach its destination on time and safely. He warned of pending danger also. Guiding them through the correct paths was difficult enough, but to warn of danger was even more so. Because he looked and acted so different from the rest of the wagon train, he was looked at as strange. He didn’t seem all there to them and therefore not trusted. They fussed about the trails to take and even more so, pending danger. When the train folks and the wagon master over turned the scout’s directives, trouble was on the horizon. It was just a matter of time. The scout was amazed that the people would not see what he saw. The scout suffered many hardships on the trail, out front and alone. His job was to watch and to listen, only to not be believed. He was, as it seemed, the only one that saw the danger in taking the wrong trail.
Today there are many such men that suffer the same abuse, only because they see what some others do not. At times, these men would prefer not to see some things. The prophet is this man. He has been looked on with indifference and scorn just as the scout, because he is one. He is the one that sees where the church body is, where it came from, and where it is going. He and his job have been criticized and scorned and the whole time the church train has been stumbling along without a scout. God has long chosen men to lead and scout for the church body, to watch for dangers. The prophet does not enjoy the comforts of inside protection, He is always out in front, in the storm and danger. His courage is due to his great love for the health and safety of the church train that should never stop moving toward its destination. God has made him this way. He is more than willing to suffer hardship, sickness, disease, as well as persecution, from outside and inside the train.
The scripture says “If you receive a prophet as a prophet you will receive the prophet’s reward”. The reward is a safe journey as an individual and the church.
The prophet looks, dresses, talks and thinks different, but he makes a difference for those who hear what he hears and sees what he sees. The prophet’s God given gift is no more important than the other gifts, it’s just different.
The prophet has vision because he sees. If we believe what he has seen, we may not see it all but we will see enough to follow and arrive safely and successfully.
So, the difference that makes the difference is that the scout is dressed for his job. The rough terrain requires different attire, so if his looks and his demeanor put you off, reconsider and receive his reward.
PS: I think, is not in the scout’s vocabulary, but I see, is.