Too many of us are “fair-weather Christians.” Oh, we talk pretty good talk, but our walk falls far short of our words.
A hundred years ago, a famous tight-rope
walker was known for his numerous trips across Niagara Falls. Thousands flocked
to the falls to watch their hero conquer that great wonder of the world.
Men, women, boys and girls gazed in awe as
the man maneuvered the tight rope; hundreds of feet separating him from the
other side. Women passed out and had to be revived. Even strong men hid their
eyes when wafts of wind threatened to topple the figure from the taut rope.
More than once the courageous daredevil put
a particular question to the crowd. (And more than once the result was the
same.)
“How many of you believe that I can push a
wheelbarrow across the falls?” And of course, most of the crowd nodded
affirmatively, and applauded with glee.
And at this point our hero upped the ante.
“How many of you believe that I could put a person in that wheelbarrow and push
him across the falls?” This didn’t deter the crowd’s enthusiasm, as they
screamed aloud… “Yes, Yes. We know you can!”
Then he posed a final question to one
young man who seemed the most enthusiastic of them all. “Sir, are you convinced
I can do it?” And this time a lone voice echoed softly in the still air. “Well,
yes. I believe you can.”
The tight-rope walker smiled, and his challenge
seemed to shake the man to his core. “Then hop in.” He waited for a response.
The response was immediate.
The man who seemed so sure, so calm, so
stalwart in his belief that the feat could be accomplished… quickly disappeared
in the crowd.
Now I honestly don’t recall whether that
daredevil ever had any “takers,” in all the time he fearlessly walked across
the falls. But if so, I expect they were few in number.
The fearless man always reached the other
side successfully. And he lived to a good old age, and died a natural death.
There’s a scripture that, though quoted as
much as any other except John 3:16, is always fresh, always poignant, always
challenging.
“Now faith is the substance of things
hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1, KJV)
And I think
this scripture is so reminiscent of the ancient challenge of that tight-rope
walker. For our Lord calls us to “get into His wheelbarrow” and take that
life-long journey “across the falls” that we call “life.”
Too many of us
are content to stand on the brink, too transfixed by the threatening chasm to
even contemplate getting into the wheelbarrow. Though He calls out again and
again, and assures us of His power to overcome nature itself, we politely nod,
and quickly look away from those piercing eyes of His.
For here is One that did the daredevil one
better. Christ walked on the water. And he spoke the most reassuring words
His disciples could ever have hoped to hear, as they languished on that sea
that day.
“Be not afraid. It is I.” (John 6:20, KJV)
There will always be those stand on the
edge, and speak courageous words. They may even urge us to get in “the
wheelbarrow.” But their very lives are testaments of futility, fear and failure.
I won’t live that way. And though fear
permeates my very being, I will get into God’s wheelbarrow, again and again.
And I will allow Him to push me across the deepest chasms and the most
threatening falls…since He is incapable of falling, and He will also protect me
from falling.
By
William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from "Musings", Copyright 2005
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