“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

2 Corinthians 5:7

Every step is the way. Every action is formation.

Lonnie was among the best supervisors I’ve ever had. It was a summer job at a warehouse, and I had all kinds of tasks that kept me busy. I inspected products and sorted pallets. I checked rodent traps; repainted safety markings; and did inventory. I also drove a big tractor with one of those giant lawn mower attachments trailing behind me to mow a giant field. I sorted products and took them off of shipping pallets to store. Later, I would gather some of those same products to send out to fill orders.

None of the tasks I did were super hard. They were not overly technical either. But I still had to be trained to do each one in a specific way. Lonnie was a great supervisor because of the way he showed me. He taught me the steps by showing me what to do. Then he watched me do the various tasks—providing tips and corrections when I needed them. Once I was comfortable—or more to the point, once he was comfortable with me continuing— he would walk away to let me navigate on my own. He would regularly circle back to check in on me, confirm I was doing things correctly, and ask if I had any questions. He didn’t babysit me. He helped me succeed. His training and support helped me to become a contributing member of the team.

In all of it, Lonnie cared about me. He wanted me to be safe and to do the job well. But there was a manner in which he did this that was beyond him doing his job. He wanted to help the company move forward. But he wanted me—and all the other members of his team—to move forward. I worked with Lonnie almost 30 years ago. And I still think about his role in helping me those summers.

In a corporate organizational structure, Lonnie was an asset. He innately understood that a company is only as strong as its weakest member. He believed and walked with his team to ensure they had everything they needed to get the job done. But it wasn’t about the job. It was about the people. In supply chain management, everyone needs to be strong and efficient. Every team member is part of the solution and success.

Every member is a link in the chain.

Wax on. Wax off. These are the immortal words of Mr. Miyagi that taught Daniel-san the ways of kung fu in the first Karate Kid movie. Putting wax on and taking it off of a car was the arm movement that taught the novice the motions to defend in karate. In the more recent remake, Jackie Chan stars as Mr. Han. He, again, teaches a young novice the ways of Kung Fu through the simple task of putting a jacket on and taking a jacket off. The message is the same in both—each movement and every action is another step along the way.

Each person is a vital cog in the wheel of God’s community of faith. And each action we take and movement we make is a step on the journey of faith.

We walk. Step by step. Together. Every step matters and every step is along the way. Every member—every person— is a part of the journey together. This journey is something less when you are not a part.

Too often, in our spiritual thinking, we equate faithfulness to big decisions and epic moments. It’s the mountain top moments of our faith that we chase and cling to as a way to sustain us. Faith is deduced down to moments and mysteries. But in truth, every step is the way of faith. It is in the unnoticed and forgotten moments that faith moves forward. Walking by faith is about taking your next step—even a small one—in obedience.

Have you ever fallen into the trap of trying to make a 180-degree turn because of a moment of inspiration? Grand sweeping changes rarely last. Instead, one faithful way to live is to take your next small step along the Jesus way. Just as you walk one step at a time—so too does your faith grow one step at a time. It is not the drastic changes that move you forward. It is the consistent small steps that grow your faith and build your obedience. If faith is a muscle, it is the regular small exercises that make the biggest difference.

And, in all of this, it’s really helpful to find yourself a Lonnie, Mr. Miyagi, or Mr. Han. Someone who walks with you, shows you the ropes, and sees something in you that is worth cultivating and growing. Find someone who is a seasoned veteran that can share with you the tips and tricks of this life and how to dance through it gracefully—even in the rain and through the dark. I hope you have a Lonnie in your life. And, I hope you are someone else’s Lonnie as well. This is the way. We walk it together. In faith.

Who’s the best supervisor you’ve had?