When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe.
Jesus is countering those who’ve argued that he’s only healing by the power of Beezlebul, the name of a demon. He’s saying that a kingdom divided against itself will fall. So he gives this analogy of the strong man.
He’s fully armed, guarding his castle, relying on his strength and armor. As a result of these, his property is safe. Until. Until a stronger man comes, overtakes him, and thrashes the armor in which he’d trusted.
This morning I’m thinking about how there are always stronger men, with more armor than the ones in whom I’ve put my trust – figuratively, of course. Whatever man-made things, or self-imposed standards, they can always be dashed by something greater. My home is my castle. Until I see the Jones’ castle, and then mine is a shack. My new cell phone is the best. Until the next generation comes out, and mine is crap. My vision of my future is perfect, until illness strikes.
Whatever it is, if it’s something I’ve constructed, imposed, or prioritized, it’s as weak as the strong man in armor, when the stronger man comes to the door. There’s always someone stronger, something better, or something unexpected, when I pin my hopes and expectations on earthly things.
The way to escape that unending drive for more and better, or expected and planned, is to pin my hopes on something outside of this realm, on God and God’s kingdom. I cannot know what that entails, but I’m quite certain it doesn’t include me trusting in the strong man I’ve put at my door.
Jesus concludes this story with ‘whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me, scatters.’. I’m not sure I understand the ‘against me’ part. But I do think that if we stick with God and God’s plan, we’ve picked the eternal winning side; there is no risk of a stronger man coming and plundering our spoils.
For me now, my challenge is not so much stuff, although that has been in the past. Now, the things I’ve mistakenly put my trust have to do with expectations about my time and my future. And the future of my sick loved one. I’d posted a very strong man at the door to those expectations and hopes. I’d planned, and prepared, and executed very well, and my strong man had the best armor around. Until. Until a stronger man with better armor came, and plundered my spoils, dismantling my well constructed and previously well-protected future. Those plans have scattered.
Today, I want to try to turn over to God all of places where I’ve posted strong security guards to protect my world and vision.
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