Tuesday, January 19, 2010

The Least Likely of Creatures


NERD ALERT!!!!!

The following post will contain references to Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars...just to name a few. Please enter at your own risk. The risk of becoming a bigger nerd.

Do you ever feel like you are in way over your head? I do. All the time. Like, almost everyday. I always have this underlying feeling that one of these days everyone's gonna realize that I am really just a MacGyver type holding it all together with a tube sock and an old piece of gum. I'm ready for it though, I already have my escape route planned (I'm not gonna give it all away, but it does involve a potato gun and some laffy taffy wrappers).

I am the least likely of creatures, you see. Just like Frodo in The Lord of the Rings. Just like Harry Potter. Just like Luke Skywalker. Just like King David. Just like Jesus.

Why me? Why did God pick me?

God can do whatever He wants...obviously. But it seems as though His "thing" isn't to take someone who became a King by his own strength and make him an even bigger and better King. It seems as though God's "thing" is that He takes the least likely person, the one that never feels like they are worthy, the one that tends to feel like they aren't strong enough or able to do big things....and He makes them King.

Frodo was just a small little hobbit from nowhereville. He ended up being entrusted with a very powerful and evil ring. Because of his innocence and pure heart he was given the burden of carrying the ring to Mount Doom in the land of Mordor in order to have it destroyed forever. This ring had a very powerful pull...it wanted to be found. So for years and years, Frodo evaded death left and right in order to complete this journey. It doesn't seem fair that Frodo was given this hardship...is that the reward for a pure heart!? Hardship?? Frodo was exausted, overwhelmed, and scared a lot of the time. He didn't feel like a warrior at first. But as he continued....and didn't quit....and didn't give up...he grew stronger...more savy...more determined.

I totally feel like this in my life. God has given me this enormous task, and sometimes I just don't feel like I can do it. Instead of dealing with trying and failing...I would rather just stay in bed. But that's the thing about God...He doesn't give us a purpose and then just let us stay in bed and cover up our heads. He gives us the strength to complete our purpose even when we don't have enough to go on.

The same with Harry Potter. An abused teenage orphan becomes one of the most powerful wizards ever. It's not like Harry woke up one day and said...hey, there's something special about me...I'm going to go out and rule the wizarding world. Nope. He was always surprised by his gifts. His home life was impossible and sometimes he felt totally alone, but he didn't give up. There were people fighting for Harry even when he didn't know it.

Luke Skywalker wasn't out to conquer a galaxy far far away. He was just an orphaned boy who grew up on sandy Tatooine (I warned you...I am a nerd...and now you are too!). But low and behold...this skinny little orphan became the leader of the rebel alliance. Dude...he kicked ass. Other than the fact that he fell in love with his twin sister that he didn't know he had for a moment....Luke's life ended up pretty amazing considering that his father was trying to kill him.
If there hadn't been a Goliath, then maybe David never would have left the fields where he sheparded his father's sheep in order to become King. David was far from perfect even after all that God had done for him. He ended up sleeping with a married woman and then having her husband killed in order to cover it all up. That doesn't sound like the same guy that wrote those beautiful psalms.
Jesus was also the least likely. He was a carpenter's son from Nazareth. He certainly didn't look like the creator of heaven and Earth. He looked like a normal Jewish guy. It was really hard for people in His hometown to accept Him as God because they had seen Him grow up.
God uses the least likely...the humble, the persecuted, the poor, the bad seed.
Think of Saul. He was one ruthless brotha. He used to brutally kill Christians. One night he met up with Jesus and because of mercy was reborn as Paul. One of Jesus' closest and most trusted friends.
I'm not saying that you should go out and do whatever you want just so you can get mercy. I'm saying that living in guilt or living in the lie that you're not enough is not a part of God's plan for your life. Put your trust in God and believe that He will guide you and not let you fall. No matter what you've done or how many times you've done it...God is merciful. God doesn't see us the way we do..we are so hard on ourselves. He delights in us. So smile and continue on in your journey. Be ready for twists and turns. Be ready for excitement. And remember that you are staring as the lead role in the movie of your life. And long as you are on the side of good and not evil, you shall prevail! The force is strong with you my child!
Ok...enough dorky movie references.
Live long and prosper,
The Little Blonde Hobbit

1 comment:

  1. Thank you.

    I always thought it similar to our relationship with God, how Harry wondered why Dumbledore was so interested in him - even when it was seemingly mundane.

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