A Slippery Slope

As I write this, the county I live in has been experiencing the most difficult winter weather we've had in years.  It has been - as they say - a 'real Iowa winter.'  Barely a week goes by where we haven't had some type of ice, sleet, or snow.  Not to mention a few days where apparently (according to the news media) we were colder here than at the North Pole.  As you could imagine, this also means that travel has become increasingly difficult - and I don't mean just driving.  Walking across parking lots and driveways is now treacherous.  My wife and I have both fallen flat on our backs earlier this month while attempting to leave our home, and we both have the bruises to show for it! 

In fact, there are quite a few of us walking around this town with scratches and bruises.  If I adapt this to a spiritual setting, one could ask the question: "why are we all walking around with bruises so often?"  Shouldn't our spiritual walk constitute standing on solid ground, with sure footing?  After all, isn't the Bible here to help the faithful and keep us from falling?

Good questions all around I think.  So why are so many settling for the slippery slope?  Have we become comfortable with our bruises?

If we look at the Gospel of Matthew, there is a section of Scripture where Jesus tells us about the wise and foolish builder.  Chapter 7:24-27 says, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.  But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

And crash we surely will, if we don't listen to Jesus.  So many of us are walking around with bruises in this world.  So many of us trying to travel on uncertain ground.

I remember playing the game Jenga with my children when they were younger.  We will still pull it out every once in a while.  You may remember that this game basically consists of wooden blocks that each player stacks on top of each other, such that you end up building a tall edifice several inches high; hoping all the while that it doesn't topple over.  As the tower gets higher and higher, each time a player removes a block from the bottom in order to place it on the top ... things become more anxious.  

Sometimes (quite often actually) someone who wasn't playing the game at all, would simply walk by our table causing a slight bounce in the floor, and the whole thing would come crashing down.  Not stable whatsoever!  The kids would erupt with energetic screams of course, and then the finger pointing would begin as they tried to claim victory over one another.

But why do we fight so hard to keep the tower standing?  What exactly is at stake?  Or more importantly ... what does a house built on rock look like?

To answer what a strong house looks like, I believe we can tackle the set of Scriptures directly ahead of Matthew 7:24.  They discuss concepts like forgiveness, honoring the Golden Rule, and trying not to judge others.  Even the casual Bible reader will note that these things are quite difficult, however.  In fact, if it were up to us alone, I have a feeling there wouldn't be a single Jenga tower left standing anywhere in the world.  

It would appear that once again, we need God's help.  When it comes to repentance, if we attempt to go the distance on our own steam, it often ends up in failure.  The rains come and the wind blows - the house slips down, into a pile on the sand.  Someone need only walk next to the block tower with a bounce in their step, and it comes crashing down.  Fortunately for us, however, God appears to be an expert architect.  

The Wesleyan tradition has in it something known as prevenient grace.  Simply put, this is the idea that God knows we need His help before we do.  I cannot tell you how grateful I am for this notion. If we apply our analogy from above once more, I think it means that we have a higher power in our lives who is gracious and patient enough to sit down with us and help build our little wooden tower ... piece by piece, and step by step.  

Occasionally we will fall (i.e.: the tower will collapse).  Never mind.  Pick yourself back up and keep going.  Repentance from sin may seem like an outdated concept, but it is just as necessary today as it was two thousand years ago when Jesus walked the earth.  We need God's help, and often we need it before we realize it.  Keep going and keep fighting the good fight.  And above all, allow God's grace to carry you, especially if you didn't necessarily build your house with the correct blueprints.

How does your house look now?  Is it on sand or rock?  If we are lucky, we will allow God to teach us to live Biblical lives, to build strong houses and high towers.  Our bruises will eventually heal, especially if we depend on Him to keep us from slipping.  But if we do slip, please don't blame Him.  Look instead at the foundation of your house.  The rain is falling, and the wind is blowing; but God's house it is nice and warm inside.  Care for a game of Jenga anyone?




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