{"id":648,"date":"2013-02-17T19:51:53","date_gmt":"2013-02-18T00:51:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/truthsyoucanuse\/?p=648"},"modified":"2013-02-17T19:51:53","modified_gmt":"2013-02-18T00:51:53","slug":"how-to-take-the-first-step-to-the-rest-of-your-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/truthsyoucanuse\/2013\/02\/how-to-take-the-first-step-to-the-rest-of-your-life.html","title":{"rendered":"How To Take the First Step To the Rest of Your Life"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"the<\/a><\/p>\n

Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. What he didn\u2019t say that the first step is the hardest step.<\/p>\n

Jewish wisdom teaches this in the story of a man named Nachshon. His story begins on the shores of the Red Sea. The Israelites are on their way out of Egypt. Pharaoh and his army, however, are in hot pursuit.<\/p>\n

What can the Israelites do? They are trapped between a body of water they cannot cross, and an army of soldiers and chariots they cannot defeat. God has promised them a miracle. But none seem forthcoming.<\/p>\n

Moses begs God to do something. God does not answer.<\/p>\n

The Power of One<\/strong><\/p>\n

Then, so the legend goes, Nachshon steps forward. He walks right into the Red Sea. He keeps walking until the water reaches his eyes. At that point, God parts the waters, and the Israelites walk safely across the Sea and into the wilderness.<\/p>\n

The Sea did not part until Nachshon walked into it. Nothing happened until someone took the first step. Nachshon knew the truth Dr. Martin Luther King would later put into words, \u201cYou just need to take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Why is this step so difficult? Why was Nachshon the only one to step forward?<\/p>\n

Wading Through Uncertainty<\/strong><\/p>\n

One reason is uncertainty. No one knew what lay ahead. No one knew what would happen next. That uncertainty not only paralyzed the Israelites. It can afflict us as well.<\/p>\n

I think about people who stay in lousy jobs because they do not know what else they can do. I think of people who stay in abusive marriages because it\u2019s all they know.<\/p>\n

Slavery was all the Israelites knew. It\u2019s all Nachshon knew. Yet, he took the first step. And we are here because of it.<\/p>\n

His action leaves an enduring lesson for all of us. As Rabbi Will Berkovitz put it, \u201cWe have to be willing step into uncertainty. We have to be willing as Nachshon did at the Red Sea to keep wading deeper and deeper until we risk drowning. And then maybe the sea will split.\u201d<\/p>\n

To receive Rabbi Moffic\u2019s weekly digest of Jewish wisdom, click\u00a0here.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. What he didn\u2019t say that the first step is the hardest step. Jewish wisdom teaches this in the story of a man named Nachshon. His story begins on the shores of the Red Sea. The Israelites are on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":507,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[57,250,39,248,69,249,253,29,252,251],"class_list":["post-648","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-bible","tag-exodus","tag-faith","tag-first-step","tag-god","tag-journey","tag-martin-luther-king","tag-moses","tag-nachshon","tag-slavery"],"yoast_head":"\nHow To Take the First Step To the Rest of Your Life - Truths You Can Use<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/truthsyoucanuse\/2013\/02\/how-to-take-the-first-step-to-the-rest-of-your-life.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How To Take the First Step To the Rest of Your Life - Truths You Can Use\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. 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