It's a Jungle Out There

We have been moving during these last two weeks.  Last week,  someone mentioned the word jungle and it got me thinking about how much in our life is like a jungle:

Tangled cords behind our entertainment center

Traffic on a busy commute

Choosing and standing in line at the grocery

Trying to decide which movie to see while waiting in line for tickets

Facebook updates

Twitter updates

Tons of emails piling up in the inbox

Tons of spam in the inbox

Junk mail

Walking through downtown pedestrian traffic on a Saturday

The first day of the farmer’s market

Looking at the guide to determine which tv show to watch

Watching the news and trying to decide how much of what we hear is truth

Listening to politicians in Washington

Myriads of websites and blogs to look at

Navigating through residential services for elderly parents

Navigating through state services for a disabled child

Finding a new church to attend

Finding things to talk about while socializing at a party

Preparing a presentation for work

Studying for tests

Some things are physically jungle-like such as navigating through crowds, lines, traffic, etc., but  a mental jungle is also out there.  There are things vying for our thoughts and attention that we have to wade through as well.  It can be exhausting to wend our way through all of this physical and mental jungle each day. 

The other day I was reading about machetes.  Now I know that you are thinking I must have a ton of time on my hands to be reading about that, but I was really trying to learn about them because they are the tool most folks who walk through jungles use to clear a path.  In reading steps in machete use, the first thing listed was to take good care of the tool.  To hone it so it stays good and sharp.  To oil it so it won’t rust.  Another interesting item on the list was how to wield it.  As a non machete user, I thought you just kind of would hack away at whatever was in your path until your arm got too tired and you needed a rest.  But that isn’t the correct way.  If you hone the machete first and it is sharp, all you should need to do is walk along, and gently flick your wrist and arm at the proper angle and the machete does the work and you don’t get as tired.  The real power is in the prep work, honing the tool and then putting the tool to use letting it do the hard work.

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart”  Hebrews 4: 12 NAS

God tells us that His word is sharper than a two edged sword.  I am thinking machete! What do I need to do?   Hone it.  Read it. Immerse in it.  Learn from it.  Remember it.  I have a hard time with memorizing, but I need to memorize it.  We all do.  It is our sword.  Our way to find the path through the jungle of this world we are living in.  The Word of God will be the way to carve out that path.  It needs to be sharp in my mind and heart.

Then I have to use it.  If I wield the word of God like a machete to break through the jungle, then the word of God does the work I just call on it.  Keeping it sharp in my mind and heart is vital and wielding it so His power gets me through the mess and on the path.  I should not have to work until exhausted.  Are you exhausted?  There are many days like that for me.

Another thought to consider, machetes are one edged swords.  So if the word of God is sharper than any two edged sword, then it will actually be more powerful than any machete could be!  It will get us through faster and more powerfully than we can ever do on our own in our own power.

So are you stuck in traffic?  Dwell on His word.   Are you trying to decide which movie or tv show you should watch?  What does His word tell you is appropriate to see?  Are you looking for appropriate words in a social situation?  Let God give you the words because His word tells you He will do that for you. 

Most owners of machetes who use them all the time, will lovingly take good efficient care of their tool.  They know that it is vital to their success to do so.  How much more should we as Christ followers, do the same?  We should look forward to reading the Word of God and immersing ourselves in it because it is the key to our own success in navigating the jungle of this life here on earth. 

It’s a jungle out there, what are you going to do about it? 

Psalm 119:105

John 1:1

John 1:14