Who's in Your Chariot?

When a Roman general won a great military victory, he was rewarded with a celebratory parade through the streets of Rome. This parade, called a Triumph, would start with the captives and spoils of war, followed by the general riding in a gold-encrusted chariot, then his troops following behind. It was a glorious celebration and the citizens of Rome would line the streets to witness the spectacle and shout the general’s name. But one unexpected detail of the Roman Triumph is that someone would always ride in the chariot with the general throughout the entire parade. This person would hold a victor’s crown above the general's head and whisper in his ear, “Remember, you are still mortal.”There is something profoundly beautiful about this picture. A person who stands beside another in their moment of triumph in order to both honor and humble them. We all need people like this in our lives. We desperately need people who can celebrate our victories while still being willing to speak the hard truths. People who care for us enough to build us up, even if that means calling us out when our ego is getting in the way. King Solomon, one of the wisest leaders to ever live, wrote, “wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses” (Proverbs 27:6). In other words, be wary of people who will affirm you to your face and mock you behind your back, but cherish those true friends who love you enough to say the hard truths to your face. To clarify, he’s not talking about people who just want to throw stones. The world is sadly full of critics who revel in tearing others down. Avoid them. But surround yourself with people who care for you enough to call you out when you’re being a jerk. Because while their words might sting, they are a testament to their love for you.So who is in your chariot?