Dragon training and lion chasing

Today: Proverbs 22-23

Last week I was hanging out in my living room with my sister. She was typing on her laptop.

"What are you working on?" I asked.

"A dragon training presentation," she replied.

"What?!?" I asked,"That sounds pretty intense!"

She smiled and explained that the course is about a software program called Dragon--and that no firefighters would be required to be present (darn!).

While the idea of dragon training sounded a bit odd to me, in the Bible, there were people who braved similar tasks. There were people who literally chased lions or killed giants, for example. Perhaps it's because of last week's conversation with my sister, but these two lines from today's chapters caught my attention:

The loafer says, "There's a lion on the loose!
If I go out I'll be eaten alive!"

Kind of weird, right?

As I read these lines over and thought about their meaning, a few possibilities came to mind:

• First, I think it could be saying, "Don't be a lazy person content to let big challenges or enemies run wild--get up and tackle them."
  
• Another possible interpretation? "Lazy people sometimes allow fear to run their lives." Is there really a lion on the loose? How do we know that the lazy loafer even looked outside or saw anything?
  
• The third possibility is a mix of the first two--"Fear can cloud reality and turn crazy cats into lions on the loose." Maybe the lazy person saw something, but because of fear, she turned a crazy cat into a "lion on the loose."

A few other observations?

• The lion was described as "on the loose"...which means it could symbolize something that is dangerous to other people. The lazy loafer is content to stay comfortable while a deadly predator could attack his neighbors. This strikes me as not only fearful, but selfish.
  
• The lazy loafer has no faith--she automatically jumps to, "If I go out, I'll be eaten alive!" rather than praying, planning a strategy, partnering with other people to capture the lion...you get my point.

I don't know if any of these possibilities are right...and maybe all of them are correct to some extent. I think the main point is that sometimes, you and I may be called to chase lions--to protect the innocent, to conquer fear and/or to trust God to help us face challenges directly.

Next up: Dragon training. Can I bring a firefighter? :)

Tomorrow: Proverbs 24-26

Me, Veruka Salt and forgotten miracles

Today: Psalm 106-107

I don't know about you, but sometimes (even this year and throughout this project!), I've been a whiny brat child with God.

As much as I hate to admit it, sometimes I wonder if God sometimes sees me like the obnoxious Veruka Salt in the 1970s version of "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory." Veruka is the girl with the accent who says, "I want it now, Daddy!" over and over and over again (she wants an Oompa Loompa and an Everlasting Gobstopper and...well, pretty much everything!).

The problem with Veruka Salt (and me, too, at moments!) is that she forgets what she has...and what she's already been given. If Veruka could depict any people in the Bible, it would probably be the Israelites just after their exodus from Egypt. Take a look at this part of today's passage:

After our parents left Egypt,

they took your wonders for granted,

forgot your great and wonderful love.

They were barely beyond the Red Sea

when they defied the High God

—the very place he saved them!

—the place he revealed his amazing power!

He rebuked the Red Sea so that it dried up on the spot

—he paraded them right through!

—no one so much as got wet feet!

He saved them from a life of oppression,

pried them loose from the grip of the enemy.

Then the waters flowed back on their oppressors;

there wasn't a single survivor.

Then they believed his words were true

and broke out in songs of praise.

But it wasn't long before they forgot the whole thing,

wouldn't wait to be told what to do.

They only cared about pleasing themselves in that desert,

provoked God with their insistent demands.

He gave them exactly what they asked for—

but along with it they got an empty heart.

The end of this passage stood out to me--"they got an empty heart." I don't know exactly what it means, but I'll take a guess. I don't think it's saying that God's heart toward the people was empty: God is always love. However, I think it may be saying that like Veruka Salt, the people of Israel developed an insatiable desire for more, more and more...without any gratitude for the blessings and miracles God had already given them. Sound familiar?

To me, this story depicts my own at moments...but also the lives of so many people (particularly in North America) who are consumers of God and His goodness. There's a fine line between trusting God for provision and blessings (a good thing) and becoming a needy brat child. The difference between the two is really a difference of the heart. God won't love you less if you're a mini-me Veruka--but your life and your heart will feel empty. To keep your heart full and to live a life that is full of love--you have to stay grateful and remember where every blessing comes from. Remember the miracles you've seen already and the gifts that are in your life every single day. Trust me--it's better than an Everlasting Gobstopper any day. :)

Tomorrow: Psalm 108-114