May 14, 2009

The Squirrel King

I was watching a squirrel out in the backyard by the bird feeder. He couldn't get at the food in the feeder because it hangs out a few inches away from the fence. Then with some delicate balancing he was able to grab the feeder and pull out some food to munch on.

With his little paws full, he sat out in a sunny spot on the fence and proceeded to enjoy his snack. Sitting upright he munched and contentedly watched my dog Masada as he paced back and forth. The squirrel acted as if he was the king of all he surveyed.

It was a rather ironic picture. The squirrel as king when in reality he's pretty close to the bottom of the food chain and must run and hide from any sort of threat.

In a way the squirrel king reminded me of the way many people run their lives. They consider themselves in charge of all they survey but in reality they aren't in control of anything. They make all kinds of plans and set goals without consideration of anyone other than themselves and God never enters their mind.

Stock market crashes steal their wealth. Economies of a global scale dictate whether they have employment tomorrow. Sickness or accident can change their lives in a moment.

Jesus told a parable about a man with this sort of approach to life.

Luke 12:14-21 NIV
Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, `What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'

"Then he said, `This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. [19] And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." '

"But God said to him, `You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'

"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."

This man was self-impressed and self-important. I have no doubt that if you had asked him he would have told you that he was self-made as well. Yet in the end all of his self focus led to nothing.

Christ then goes on at length to remind us who provides all we have and need.

Luke 12:22-40 NIV
Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

"Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."

We need to keep our eyes on God. We need to be thankful for the opportunities and the things He has provided us.

We need to maintain a humble spirit and realize all we have is only on loan to us and none of us possess anything we can take with us.

Are there things you are taking advantage of?

Are there people you don’t appreciate because of “your” squirrel king attitude?

Until next time, recognize the source and give thanks to God, because the breath you’re breathing now is also God given.

There is only one King and none of us are Him!

Getting off my pedestal also,

Darrel Mason

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