Have a nice trip?
In today’s sermon (02/16/2020) I mentioned that tripping can’t stop us on our journey. Just because we trip, or have a hiccup in the plan, or fall on our face does not mean the plan is a failure. Every step we take contains a risk for a fall. That applies to us as individuals AND as the Church.
We are going to trip. There will probably be somebody standing by waiting to say something helpful like “I told you so…” or “Have a nice trip? See you next Fall!”
With or without that person, tripping is almost always embarrassing. Whats the first thing we do when we trip? We look around to see if anyone saw us. If no one was looking, we’re safe….. until we think about it later.
Maybe thats the worst part of tripping – remembering that we tripped. I can list off all the times I’ve messed something up, and will struggle to name more than a few things I’ve done well enough. The trips always jump to the front of the queue.
Do you wonder if Mordecai spent time after the fact beating himself up for not saluting Haman? I mean, thats a small thing that lead to Haman literally trying to wipe out the entire nation of Israel. Part of our lessons on the context of the book of Esther shows that Mordecai’s lack of respect to Haman did not stem from a “I won’t bow to a human… only God” source of reverence. Mordecai was faithful in service to Xerxes, the king, to the point of saving his life and alerting him to a plot to kill him. Mordecai was fine serving a human king, he just didn’t salute Haman’s authority – probably due to the family line of each man. (Mordecai – Saul, Haman – Agag).
This seemingly little hiccup on the journey of Israel in captivity lead to a major mess. If anyone should’ve felt like he needed to bury his head in the sand out of shame, it was Mordecai. Instead, he got up and kept moving forward.
Mordecai, flawed and imperfect, remained faithful in a time when it would have been easier to run, to hide. The vengeance of Haman would have caught up to him, no doubt. But I imagine there was a small voice in the back of his head telling him to “get while the gettings good.”
I sincerely hope our trips and falls do not lead to the decision of genocide of an entire nationality. I’m not sure any of us have quite that level of influence (thankfully!). But I’m convinced that when we do have our trips and falls in the daily mess of life there are times we’d be content just lying on the ground instead of getting back on our feet and risking another misstep.
Rejected when inviting someone to church? Never ask again.
Ridiculed for standing up for what you believe in? Never stand up again.
Pushed aside for acting with integrity? Act like everyone else.
Having to take the narrow path requires faithfulness and endurance. It is not trampled flat, with tripping hazards swept aside. The path is narrow and less traveled for a reason.
The narrow path does not serve our comfort. It serves others.
The narrow path does not promise an easy journey. It promises the right ending.
The narrow path is not one that we can stop and start on at our own convenience. It does however have an amazing system for refueling and refreshing us on the journey every Sunday morning.
Believing in the ending, God’s promised ending should be enough for us to persevere down any road. Even if that road leads us to a cross. If we over-value this world, we will keep looking for paths that serve us and serve our comfort. Thankfully God chose the most difficult path in His redemptive story.
Proverbs 3:5-6,11-20 NLT
Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. [6] Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
[11] My child, don’t reject the LORD’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you. [12] For the LORD corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights. [13] Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. [14] For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold. [15] Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. [16] She offers you long life in her right hand, and riches and honor in her left. [17] She will guide you down delightful paths; all her ways are satisfying. [18] Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly. [19] By wisdom the LORD founded the earth; by understanding he created the heavens. [20] By his knowledge the deep fountains of the earth burst forth, and the dew settles beneath the night sky.