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I have bread baskets, fruit baskets, toy baskets, and now I’m starting to put out Easter baskets. They vary in shape, color, and size though none are large enough to hold me. Fortunately, it’s not necessary. The life of the apostle Paul weaves a different story.

According to Acts 9:25, Paul learned of a conspiracy to kill him. To escape, other believers lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall of Damascus.

I wonder if Paul was able to select the people who held the rope tied to the basket. He needed people with strength to bear his weight, patience and commitment to stay with the job until it was completed, and compassion to care about his destiny. Who were these people he trusted to hold onto the rope as he dangled between death and deliverance?

I think that Paul’s friends were alert to respond to the enemy’s scheme, altruistic by putting their agendas aside to focus on Paul, and anonymous. The people were never named or mentioned again.

Though I can’t relate to the details of Paul’s experience, there are times in my life when I’ve felt like a basket case, and in need of people to pray with me. With mercy I may not understand, but cannot deny, God sends people to hold the rope. Sometimes it’s someone who’s been in a similar circumstance and can offer comfort, or a friend who’s focused to pray with me until I’m back on my feet.

Paul’s friends, and mine, are the people whose actions continually challenge my own and have become an example of the type of ‘rope holder’ I want to be.

Ronny Michel can be reached at rmichel@rtconline.com.