The second kick ...

Today, a friend with whom I grew up posted a wise proverb on his Facebook page:

"There is nothing to be learned from the second kick of the mule."

You might find a lot of wisdom in this, and I have to say that I agree with it. If this is so, then why do we so often find that we can recognize a particular mule by the way that it kicks? I think that there is more than one reason.

Many of us live in denial. We don’t believe that it will happen again. Just because we think that we didn’t deserve it, we magically believe that it won’t happen again. Surely the mules will figure out the error of their ways eventually!

Sometimes we’re willing the pay the price because it seems like a fair trade for doing what we want to do. I do not know what particular benefit might accrue from standing near the posterior of a mule, but I can’t rule out the possibility. Perhaps I would come running up to the back side of a mule if Kate was riding a mule and began to fall off its rump. Which is just a good reason to keep Kate away from mules (literal or figurative).

It could be that our self image is so poor that we think that we deserve the kick. Poor me. I deserve to stand behind mules. The fact that God created me and loves me is irrelevant compared to the fact that Jaime Bob or Billy Bob think that my nose hairs are too long. Just kick me. That will increase my justification for acting pathetic and helpless. If God knew that having long nose hair would be so socially painful, why did he give me this unbearable burden?

Perhaps the second kick comes because we don’t have a teacher like Jesus. Jesus seems to want to keep those he loves from the second kick. This is what I hear when I read Mark 10:35-45:

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."

And he said to them, "What is it you want me to do for you?"

And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory."

But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"

They replied, "We are able."

Then Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared."

When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John.

Jesus called them and said to them, "You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."

Did we catch what Jesus said? “You know that among the Gentiles . . . .” You already know this to be true. You have already been kicked by that mule. Do you really want to be kicked by that mule again because you do the very same thing again? Be wise. Learn from the first kick.

When I read this story, I think about the children that we love. Even the wisest of them have times when they get the second kick. It’s not that they don’t feel the kick. They tend to make the same irrational excuses for receiving the kick that we do. If we warn them, sometimes they will refuse to listen to us, or refuse to make the connection. Sometimes, if we are willing to be patient enough, they will let us be Jesus to them and allow us to guide them from the second kick.

This means that they will have to trust us. After all, they prejudge the usefulness of our advice by the day-to-day kindness evident in our language, the hour-to-hour love revealed by our action. If they don’t feel safe with us, how can they feel safe taking our advice?

If we want children to see us as a savior in the time of trouble, then we must first be the servant who serves, and walks, and suffers alongside them.

Blessings,

Ron

Sustain the weary ...

Hear the word of the Lord from Isaiah:

The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of a teacher,
that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens—
wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught.

The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious,
I did not turn backward.
I gave my back to those who struck me,
and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face from insult and spitting.

The Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me.

It is the Lord GOD who helps me;
who will declare me guilty?
All of them will wear out like a garment;
the moth will eat them up.

Isaiah 50:4-9a

The prayers of a child

“The point of prayer is not to get answers from God, but to have oneness with Him. If we pray only because we want answers, we will become irritated and angry with God.”
Oswald Chambers

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep;
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep;
The angels watch me through the night,
Until I wake in morning light.

God is great, God is good,
Now we thank Him for this food.

We are taught at an early age to pray. Many of us were taught to say these prayers and many others. What would happen if we were taught to pray like this at an early age?

“One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple…
My heart says of you, ‘Seek his face!’ Your face, Lord, I will seek.”
Psalm 27:4, 8

“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—a place near your altar,
O Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.”
Psalm 84:1-4

Some of the words of these prayers are a little too deep for someone my 5 year-old’s age, but the concept is something I have heard him pray several times. One night in his prayers he said to God that he can’t wait to see him someday. In his prayer he tried to explain to God what he thought he looked like. My son’s thoughts in his prayer life have started leaning towards the idea of God and a relationship with him, instead of just thank you for mommy, daddy … He has begun talking to God. Just talking. Isn’t that how we should all be? A relationship with someone involves an ongoing conversation most of the time. It involves time. So many people who have been spiritual giants throughout time, such as Martin Luther, George Fox, and Richard Foster were known for their time spent in prayer. Martin Luther actually said, “I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer.” This time was made up of interceding for others like we did today, it was made up of prayers of thanks, of asking for help in situations, and also just a time of conversation with his God.

How do you pray? Do you have time set aside for your prayer life? Just being honest, I have to say that there have been times over the years where I felt like I was not praying anything deeper than my childhood prayers. If you feel that way now, or just don’t know where to begin, maybe it’s time you started setting aside time to just be with God. Sit in silence and get rid of the distractions and allow God to start a conversation with you that will never end.

Jason

Nothing too good to be hoped for ...

Does your load ever seem heavy?
Does your pain seem unbearable?
Or your stress seem unmanageable?
Then pray this prayer:

A Prayer of Hope
Lesslie Newbigin

O Christ, King and Lord of all,
teach me to know that with you
nothing is too bad to be cured;
nothing too good to be hoped for;
nothing too hard to be attempted;
and nothing so precious that it cannot
be surrendered for your sake;
who lives and reigns
with the Father
in the Unity of Spirit
for ever and ever.

May God kindle hope in our hearts,

Ron