Dorothy, in “The Wizard of Oz”, was instructed to click her heels of the ruby red slippers three times and repeat, “There’s no place like home.” And so it is with us who seek to be disciples. Dependent on the Holy Trinity (the tree times in the story), clicking the ruby red slippers (the blood of Christ) and understanding that home is where the heart is … the Kansas of our existence. Oh, we might wish to live in a world “just over the rainbow”, but that is only a make-believe world and once there we start to discover that our land of our dreams is filled with all sorts of horrible things. Discipleship is learning to live in a real world. Discipleship is not escaping from the mean people of life nor the situations that make us uncomfortable, but realizing that we have the power and authority to live a victorious life even in the presence of the things that go bump in the night.
Scripture: Matthew 7:21-28
First comes a warning to those who outwardly appear to be God’s prophets, but are His prophets in their words only. Then comes the story of the foolish and wise builders … it is the sand or rock foundation story.
Reflection: How firm is the foundation where we stand? Some choose a foundation built on who they know, while others choose a foundation on how much they have. Still others choose a foundation on their reputation and position, while others choose a foundation on abilities and skills. When all is said and done the only foundation that has any value is the one built on relationship … the one and only relationship that truly matters – Jesus Christ. Once that foundation is secure then no matter what happens we will stand tall. We can fulfill the scripture that states, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil….” (Romans 12:17). We demand justice. We expect the right to retaliate. We get caught up in the Old Testament form of retribution, “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth….” (Exodus 21:22). Could it be that our foundation is threatened? With a strong, rock solid foundation we can stand against all sorts of evil and not feel threatened. There are numerous people looking at us during these personal and national storms of life. They are witnessing how we react to the battering winds of life. They are wondering if our “talk is backed up by our walk”. The strength of our foundation is the first sign of our discipleship.
Prayer: Father, we have to admit that life can get us down. We have to admit that we struggle over too many petty things. And when the mighty winds of a storm strike us we are blown away. We need, we desire a strong foundation … a rock solid foundation … a storm defying foundation … a foundation that will allow us to forgive our enemies … a foundation that will permit us not to worry … a foundation that will give us the strength to deal with any life threatening issue that comes our way. We desire a foundation built on Jesus Christ himself, in whose name we pray. Amen.
Further reflection from Picturing God by Ann Belford Ulanov
“We keep our pictures of God secret from each other and often even from ourselves. For what would others think if we talked of God as a stalking animal, sniffing us like prey, or as an alien, a foreigner whose breath is upon our face, or whose foot is on our neck? What of a God so palpable and near that only an abstract symbol can make it bearable, like Jung’s mandala, to some so calming and capacious, to others only dead artifacts? What of God, as the psalmist says, with great wings under which we hide? Or God’s grace like a large lap into which we crawl, a breast upon which we lean? Or God a warrior calling us out to fight? Or God as Jesus sitting in the back pew of your church…?”
The Struggle: I have always struggled with keeping my eyes on the foundation. There is just so much baggage that keeps getting in the way. When I move away from the foundation disciplines my life becomes shaky, my relationships start breaking down, my thoughts begin to wander in directions that I wouldn’t want to admit to anyone, and my body begins to breakdown physically. Stress, anxiety, worry, depression, and an entire mix of other negative emotions start to take control. Keeping my feet planted on the rock solid foundation takes discipline and once established there I can claim discipleship.
A Story: As you read this story from my teenage years please be reminded that God gets all the glory here … it is not about me, but it is about the power of God at work within me.
I didn’t know that my new faith and relationship was going to be tested so early in my walk. I had just returned from summer youth camp where I had given my heart to Christ when I met up with Dick L – the Manor Park bully … my personal bully. Dick had been on my case for the past five years. He took every opportunity to beat me into the ground. His antics made him a “real man” in the eyes of the girls he wanted to impress. All I knew is that I got bruised battered and blue. It was humiliating and it just made me angry. It touched me at my weakest point. I fought back with all of my might, but Dick was well developed – must of lifted weights and I was the proverbial 100 lb weakling. But the summer camp experience had changed something inside of me. I didn’t hate Dick any longer. I wasn’t looking forward to meeting up with him upon my return, but I didn’t hate him because the preacher at camp had asked us to leave all that “stuff” at the altar.
One late afternoon I and my friend Donnie Hall were leaving the park’s pool when who should be waiting for me to come out, but the bully Dick L. He called me by my name. I kept walking. He called me a few of his other chosen names for me, the girls giggled and I kept walking. The next thing I knew was his hand on my shoulder forcing me to turn around and face him. “Didn’t you hear me *&#@?” I just looked at him and said, “Yes, Dick I heard you, but I don’t wish to fight you any longer.” His punch hit me squarely on the jaw. It hurt. Then came a second one, then a third one. I just stood there. I didn’t say anything back to his taunts nor did I throw a punch. Dick didn’t know what to do. Donnie, my friend, kept encouraging me to defend myself, but there I stood … well, not for long. Another punch or two and I was on the ground being kicked. Finally, he stopped … I breathed deeply and with some effort I stood up. I looked right at Dick and shared, “Dick, this summer I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior and I’m not going to fight you anymore. Oh, you can hit me and beat up on me, but I will still love you as a friend.” And then I turned and walked away.
The next September he and I went to different Junior High Schools. I breathed a prayer of thanks for that small blessing. For some reason for the next 2 years our paths didn’t cross at Manor Park even though we both lived only a block away from each other. But then came Miami Edison Senior High School and there we were … in the same school, in the same grade. I prayed hard that our paths wouldn’t cross much and they didn’t until one afternoon …
I was in the small motorcycle parking area. I had a small bike and was picking it up to go home when who should appear before me, but members of the Little River Rats – a notorious bad gang that attend, when they wished, classes at the high school. “Hey, Martin, we are going to borrow your bike.” I knew that if they “borrowed” my ride I would never see it again so I stood my ground. They started to move in my direction. I knew what was about to happen and wasn’t looking forward to the experience. Then they simply stopped. From behind me came the voice of Dick L., “If you touch Jimmy you will have to deal with me!” It was a stand-off, but eventually they left. I turned around and thanked Dick. He just stared at me, shook his head and said, “Jimmy, you know I still don’t understand you, but I do respect you.”
I praised God all the way home that day and every day thereafter … it was a hard lesson in Discipleship and foundation building.
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