Destress the Damsel

“There was once a Countryman who possessed the most wonderful Goose you can imagine, for every day when he visited the nest, the Goose had laid a beautiful, glittering, golden egg.

The Countryman took the eggs to market and soon began to get rich. But it was not long before he grew impatient with the Goose because she gave him only a single golden egg a day. He was not getting rich fast enough.

Then one day, after he had finished counting his money, the idea came to him that he could get all the golden eggs at once by killing the Goose and cutting it open. But when the deed was done, not a single golden egg did he find, and his precious Goose was dead.”

Moral: Those who have plenty want more and so lose all they have.

– “The Goose and the Golden Egg”,  a fable of Aesop

I am doubtful if this is the first time you have heard this fable, but its message is so significant and timeless that it bears repeating. Greed is a thief that preys primarily on its very host. Greed promises to give, but only takes in the end. Greed is an ancient deceiver.

1 Timothy 6:10 is often misquoted to say that “money is the root of all evil”. Here is the actual passage, in full:

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Note that it is not money itself that is the root of all evil, but rather the love of money…A.K.A. greed. Now, what does it mean that the love of money is “the root of all evil”, anyway? Does it mean that if a man lusts after a woman, it stems from his love of racking up credit cards? Or that if a woman displays catty behavior towards someone, that it all goes back to her admiration for wads of cash? Of course the answer to both of these questions is no. The point the passage is conveying is not that “every kind of sin grows from greed”, but rather that “greed grows into every kind of sin”. The love of money has sent many a man to kill his companion, and sent many a woman into the arms of strange men. Money gained is often innocence lost, for greed always takes more than it gives.

As the scripture cited above warns, greed “pierces through with many sorrows”. Today we will discover just exactly what those sorrows are, and decide for ourselves whether or not they will be given any place in our lives. Sorrow #1 is that…

…Thou hast greedily gained of your neighbors by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord God.
– Ezekiel 22:12

This truth is proved again and again in scripture: an over-attention toward wealth leads to an under-attention toward the Lord. As Jesus boldly stated in Luke 16:13, one can not be a servant of both God and money. We have to choose which we will be allegiant to.

Before we go any further, I want it to be clear that wealth is not a bad thing in and of itself. As was previously mentioned, it is not money (but rather the love thereof) that motivates one to sin. The Bible urges us to take heed that we do not trust in riches (Mark 10:23-25). Why? Riches come and go, but God remains. Our trust is safe and solid in the Lord, but unsure and temporal with money.

Now, in this world, it is nigh to impossible to function without currency. We need it for our basic needs such as food, water, and shelter; as well as for many wants and luxuries. In short, we all need money to get by. It is allowed and even expected by God that we will put our hand to the plow and make a living for ourselves in some way. But making a living and delving into greed are two very different things. Making a living is defined as “earning enough income to support oneself and, if applicable, one’s family.” Greed on the other hand, is defined as “an intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food.”. The difference lies in the attitude and focus of the heart.

When one is filled with intense and selfish desire, it is impossible to be filled with God at the same time. God is love, and love “seeketh not her own” (see 1 Corinthians 13:5). God can not abide in a heart of greed and selfishness. When we are greedy, money (or other material items) become our obsession and focus. We no longer seek after God, because our desire is in another direction.

Practically speaking, how can I keep greed out of my faith? By constantly and honestly checking my focus. Is my focus on God, or greed? The Master, or the money? Am I more interested in my eBay or my eBible? Making a buck, or making a breakthrough? Cash or Christ? This is what it boils down to: who do I love and serve? If I’m more concerned about my pocketbook than my piety, I’ve got one pricey problem.

Greed denies your Father. This is the gravity of greed. Sorrow #2 is that…

He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live. – Proverbs 15:27

I am reminded of a short story I have read about a father and his son. One day, a son asked his father how much money was paid hourly at the father’s job. At first the father told the son it was none of his business, but after a bit of persuasion he relented. “$100”, came the reply. Immediately upon hearing this, the son asked his father if he might borrow $50. The father became furious…after all, the son had only been asking about the wages out of selfish motives! The father ordered the little boy to go to his room and think about his rude behavior. After a while, the man calmed down. He realized that his boy had never really asked for money before, so perhaps there was something very important he wanted to purchase. He knocked on his son’s door and apologized for being so harsh previously. He explained that he had a change of mind and decided that he would in fact lend the $50 that was requested. The boy was elated…he immediately reached under his pillow, pulled out some crumpled up bills, and began counting his stash. Upon seeing this, the father began to get angry again: “Why do you want more money if you already have some?!”. The son replied, “because I didn’t have enough, but now I do. Daddy, I have $100 now…can I buy an hour of your time?”

This touching story ought to hit close to home for those who have a hard time balancing family and money. It should be a blessing to provide financially for one’s own. 1 Timothy 5:8 says that “if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel“! Money can in many ways build up a family, but it can also tear one apart at the seams. Provision is one thing…neglect is another; we must (again) be careful to check our focus and motives.

Being “greedy of gain“, as Proverbs 15:27 puts it, is what will ultimately “trouble our house“. It’s not the making of money that wounds the family unit, but the “more, more, more” mentality. While we may gain monetarily, we end up losing what’s really important. Just as we formerly discussed how one can not serve both God and money, one also can not be devoted to both their family and the “almighty dollar”. One will always take precedence, while the other takes a backseat. Who will win out in your life…the spouse and kids, or a stack of “Benjamins”? Heed the wisdom of Proverbs 23:4a: “labour not to be rich.”

Practically speaking, how can I keep greed out of my family? Time to check that focus again! Am I happier to be clocking out, or clocking in? Do I prefer family time, or overtime? Date night, or casual Friday? My marriage, or my moolah? My children or my chump change? If I’m more concerned about my pocketbook than my people, I’ve got one pricey problem.

Greed destroys your family. This is the gravity of greed. Sorrow #3 is that…

And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives. So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof. – Proverbs 1:18-19

This verse is certainly haunting. When one is greedy to another man’s hurt, they only end up bringing destruction upon their own head. I could reiterate this point a thousand times: greed promises to be a giver, but greed is a taker. For every ounce we gain through greed, we lose a ton elsewhere. We have seen that we can throw away our relationship with our Father and with our family through an unhealthy love of money…and finally, we can throw away our future as well.

Proverbs 13:7 warns that “there is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing“, while on the flip side, “there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.” Which team do you want to be a part of in the end – team nothing, or team riches? Most would cry, “team riches!”, until they notice the word poor is involved. This is a common enigma in scripture…oftentimes it is a poor person who is the richest of all. It may be that on this earth the poorest Christian is “…as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” (2 Corinthians 6:10b)

Can you call to mind the parable of the rich man in Luke 12, who stored up his goods and died the same night? The sober conclusion of the story is clear: “So is he that layeth up treasure to himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:21)  Unless we want to meet a similar fate (though our death may be spiritual rather than physical – much worse), we must let go of our greed.

Practically speaking, how can I keep greed out of my future? Here comes that focus again…I’ve gotta check myself before I wreck myself. Is my goal stocking up gold, or the streets of gold? Walking down the straight and narrow, or the red carpet? If I’m more concerned about my pocketbook than my paradise, I’ve got one pricey problem.

Greed decides your future. This is the gravity of greed.

In conclusion…

Remember the man who killed his golden goose? Because of his greed for more, more, more, he lost what good he already had. Such is the fate of all who are lovers of money; of those who do not regard the gravity of greed.

Greed denies your Father, destroys your family, and decides your future. While promising the world, greed will steal you blind. Let us be content with what God has given us, keeping money and material things of this life in their proper perspective. Our true treasure is elsewhere, after all…

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven… – Matthew 6:19-20a

For God’s Glory,
CA Bolks

Chelsea Bolks is a church of Christ minister’s wife, and the home educating mother of two children. She and her family currently reside in Northwest Iowa.

Do you fear the force of the wind,
The slash of the rain?
Go face them and fight them,
Be savage again.
Go hungry and cold like the wolf,
Go wade like the crane:
The palms of your hand will thicken,
The skin of your cheek will tan,
You’ll grow ragged and weary and swarthy,
But you’ll walk like a man!

– “Do you Fear the Wind?” by Hamlin Garland

We’ve all heard the old adage: “April showers bring May flowers!”. While it’s easy to shrug these words off as little more than a rhyme cited by ultra cheerful optimists, the adage is a truthful one that we all should cling to in difficult seasons. “April” is a time we all go through at one time or another. Our April may be short or long; we may go through it once, or we may go through it multiple times…whatever the case may be, April will come. None of us can fully escape dark and dreary times in our life, symbolized by the rainy month before the flowers bloom. To get to May, we must conquer April…there is no way around, only through.

April isn’t all bad, you know. The rainy days may bring gloom, but they also bring a promise – May flowers are coming. So it is with dismal times in our lives. As Christians, we can be assured that the difficult seasons on this earth will last only for a little while; soon to be replaced by better days. In the meantime, how can we “weather” our way through our Aprils? Is there really a way from trial to triumph? What can we learn from an April shower?

Today, we will ponder three significant actions that April showers perform in our lives. Act One…

April is the cruelest month, breeding lilacs out of the dead land, mixing memory and desire, stirring dull roots with Spring rain. – T.S. Eliot

An April shower arrives on the scene as a dark, sinister figure lurking in the shadows…

An April shower is the knock on the door: “there’s been an accident”.
It’s the breakup call: “we need to talk”.
It’s the test results: “the cancer has recurred”.
It’s the tear-stained letter: “missing in action”.

April showers are the fruition of our worst fears:

Saying goodbye all too soon. Being lonely. Having your name slung through the mud. Being falsely accused. Never measuring up, no matter how hard you try. Being rejected. Feeling like no one truly cares about you. Being misunderstood.

Like a Spring rain, the pain in our life comes looming over us as a furious storm cloud and then pelts down on us suddenly and drenches us completely. We feel like David, who cried out in anguish:

…Oh that I had wings like a dove! For then I would fly away, and be at rest…I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest. – Psalm 55:6,8

When our trials feel like more than we can bear, abandoning ship can look rather inviting. Yet David pushed through his April…he didn’t stop trusting in the Lord or give up on his God-given purpose. Neither should we, or we will never see Act Two…

April is the kindest month. April gets you out of your head and out working in the garden. – Marty Rubin

An April shower takes up residence, rolls up its sleeves, and crafts something beneath the surface…

In one sense, April is the cruelest month, but it can also be the kindest. How so? April (which symbolizes difficult times in our lives) performs a mighty work in us that no other time can do so well. It begins to groom us for May…molding something underneath the surface to be revealed in due time; just as an April shower grooms the parched ground with rain.

Every pain in life has the potential to set us backward or to set us forward. We get to choose whether the rain will drown us out and diminish us to nothing, or grow new life in the soil of our hearts.

The hardest time to see the results of Spring rain is during the tedious grooming process. We look out the window for days on end and see nothing but dark and dreary skies. We glumly muse, “Will it ever stop raining? Why must every day be drop after drop of rain?” So it is with our trials…we may ask, “Will I ever stop hurting? Why must every day be drop after drop of pain?” We ask both questions because we don’t see the work being done “underground”, as it were. We don’t see beyond the surface:

…I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. – Amos 4:7b

Without rain, a piece of land and a person are both bound to wither away. As hard as it is to accept, the greatest growth occurs through rain and pain – but only if we let it be so. It’s the only way to make room for Act Three…

April is a promise that May is bound to keep. – Hal Borland

An April shower clears away in time, and leaves in its wake a beautiful new creation…

An April shower looms, and an April shower grooms, but thanks be to God, an April shower blooms! April showers do bring about May flowers, but only after weeks of driving rain and stormy blasts. Will we, as Christians, likewise bloom under great pressure and adversity? If pain is allowed to have its perfect work in us, it can transform us into something grand.

Pain is one of life’s greatest teachers. It can build in a person knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. It can give us compassion and grace for others. It can make us soft where we were once hard of heart. It can give us the right words of comfort to someone going through a similar trial. It can spur us and inspire us to help our fellow man. It can bring us closer to the Lord. It can affect generations.

Maybe you are experiencing an April shower in your life right now. Take heart, my friend…this season will not last forever. Press on with all that is in you; May is coming:

My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo…the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth… – excerpt from Song of Solomon 2:10-12

In conclusion…

Is there a way from trial to triumph? The answer is: absolutely. If we can hold on tight through April’s looming and grooming, we will soon see the glorious day of our blooming. You and I were made to be Mayflowers. It may be that God is using us to bring safe passage to other weary pilgrims on this earth weathering their own storms…if you catch my drift.

Today’s tears grow tomorrow’s flowers. In due time we will see…

Sweet April’s tears, Dead on the hem of May. – Alexander Smith

For God’s Glory,
CA Bolks

Chelsea Bolks is a church of Christ minister’s wife, and the home educating mother of two children. She and her family currently reside in Northwest Iowa.

Has anyone here seen Mister Mo?
Said the man-eating plant, “We did.“
Did he come in here an hour ago?
Said the man-eating plant, “He did.”
He was carryin’ Nugrow and potting pans
And clorophyll boxes and waterin’ cans,
And he came in here to feed the plants.
Said the man eating plant, “He did.”

– “Man-Eating Plant” by Shel Silverstein

Our natural world consists of three primary categories of living creatures: plant life, the animal kingdom, and humankind. Each of these living beings builds upon the next…

• Plants, being the lowest of all creatures; consist only of a soma (a body). Their “awareness”, as it were, only extends far enough to respond to the world around them in a physical way. (i.e. growing under the sunlight, grasping onto a vine, recoiling at the touch of a hand, etc.)

• Animals, being a step above plants; consist of a soma and a soul. Their awareness not only includes the physical responses detailed above; but additionally, animals have unique temperaments, behavioral patterns, and societal order. (i.e. the tendency to be a friendly or grumpy pet, the capacity to learn commands and routines, the ability to function with like creatures as a group, etc.)

• Humans, being the most dominant species on earth; consist of a soma, a soul, and a spirit. Our awareness includes not only the combined awareness of plants and animals alike; but additionally, we have the ability to function in a Spirit-fueled existence beyond our fleshly nature in this world. (i.e. forgiving someone who has wronged us, serving when we feel like lazing, denying our sinful desires, etc.)

As you can see, while all living beings on earth are vastly different from one another, they have certain basic similarities that tie them together. Our lesson today will focus on one shocking similarity between all three earthen species: the potential to be a man-eater. I’m sure we all have heard of man-eating animals, and even man-eating plants (a misnomer, as plants only “eat” small animals at best, but I digress…). What may not be as apparent, is the reality of another species on this earth with the capacity to feast on men: us. Humans.

[Pause for a brief disclaimer: I am aware that there is a certain usage of the term “man-eater” which speaks of a sexually deviant woman. This is not, however, the way we will be using the term today. Instead, we will be focusing on dealing aggressive behavior toward others.]

It is true that we as humans are known to bite, jab, and claw at one another. In extreme cases, humans behave aggressively toward others with fists and weapons; but more often our aggression comes in the form of petty behaviors: distasteful facial expressions, disagreeable body language, despicable words and detestable actions. In these ways, we attack our fellow man with fatal blows that can destroy friendships, family relationships, and marriages. But wait just a minute. As top species on this earth…as God’s crowning glory of creation…as possessors of soma, soul, and spirit; how can this happen? How can we stoop to engage in man-eating, thus behaving as a lowly plant or animal? Friends, this should not be.

You might be wondering…

How is a man-eater made, and how do I keep from becoming one?

The answer will be threefold. Firstly, H.O.W. a man-eater is made is by…

All’s good in a famine. – Thomas Fuller, M.D., Gnomologia (1732)

Thanks be to God, humans are not considered the natural prey of any wild animal. Yet we all know that desperate times call for desperate measures – especially if you are a predatory beast who lacks the ability to empathize with your victim. Hunger is a ruthless, driving force that can and will cause an animal to attack, kill, and eat a human if necessary. If an individual were to find themselves in the path of a carnivorous wild animal with an empty stomach, that individual would be fair game for a meal. Insatiable hunger (caused by lack of natural prey, etc.) can drive a lion or tiger into a village to grab an easy meal of local residents. Hunger is one way a man-eater is made.

The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. – Psalm 34:10

This passage seems a bit unusual, jumping straight from the topic of lions to humans; but is it possible that the Lord was pointing out our tendency to become man-eaters? We humans can often resemble a hungry wild feline. We have a gnawing emptiness in us that longs to be filled. We crave interaction with others, because we are a people made for community. Children who crave attention will often seek out negative attention, because they feel it is better than no attention at all. It is common for adults to fall into the same trap. We try to fill our desire for interaction in negative ways, because we think something is better than nothing.

The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. – Proverbs 27:7

It’s human nature. We’d rather have bitter, unhealthy interactions than no interactions at all. When we are starving, we’ll take what we can get.

You there – the one who loves to argue on social media. The one who cuts down others as entertainment. The one who picks fights with their spouse. The one who is always ranting and complaining about something. The one who gossips. I see you. Sometimes, I am you. Sometimes I crave interaction and I go about getting it in all the wrong ways. You know when I do this? When I allow myself to run on empty. When I haven’t been feasting upon spiritual things like I should be. When I haven’t consumed God’s word. When I haven’t hunted after Him. If I want to avoid becoming a man-eater, I have to fill myself up with the right things…Godly things.

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger… – John 6:35a

Secondly, H.O.W. a Man-Eater is Made is by…

Intentions often melt in the face of unexpected opportunity. – Shirley Temple Black, Child Star (1988)

In remote villages where the nearest water source is a river or lake, there is always the dread of being met face to face with a crocodile. It would appear that crocodiles are not too picky when it comes to their prey; they will take any opportunity for a kill, be it wildebeest, zebra, or human. Many unfortunate people in foreign lands have lost their lives merely by attempting to bathe themselves or wash their laundry in a seemingly safe body of water. Disturbing the territory of an opportunist such as the crocodile often has fatal consequences. Opportunity is another way a man-eater is made.

For sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. – Romans 7:11 (NASB)

If the devil can’t tempt us through hunger, he will tempt us through opportunity. Perhaps you’re not one to go looking for trouble like the hungry per se, but what about taking an opportunity for aggression when it is available to you? Do you shun the opportunity, or do you invite it?

Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. – Ephesians 4:26-27 (NASB) 

If the waiter gets your order wrong, do you choose to explain the mistake with grace, and wait patiently for it to be corrected? Or do you take the opportunity to complain and make him/her feel like a failure? If a driver rudely cuts you off in traffic, do you give the benefit of the doubt and keep your cool? Or do you use the opportunity to sigh, swear, and use obscene gestures? If your husband lets the children do something you are not on board with, do you take it in stride and acknowledge his place as head of the home? Or do you fight him or perhaps give him the silent treatment until he feels he has no choice but to pander to your irrational behavior? How we choose to respond to frustrations in life will often be the deciding factor in whether or not Satan gets a foothold in our lives.

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. – Galatians 5:13 (NASB)

Thirdly, H.O.W. a man-eater is made is by…

I’ve come to know that what we want in life is the greatest indication of who we really are. – Richard Paul Evans, The Gift (2007)

Of all the man-eating animals that have ever walked upon this earth, none is more dangerous than the one who has acquired a taste for human flesh to the point of want. It might be easy enough to avoid a hungry or or opportunistic beast by steering clear of its territory, but what about the animal who keeps coming back for more? The one who relentlessly prowls a village, bent on staying until it finds its next victim? There have been various cases in history of animals getting “hooked on humans”: often the result of scavenging on ill-buried corpses. Whatever the reason, such a predator is not easily prevented without being killed itself. Want is yet another way a man-eater is made.

I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. – Ecclesiastes 3:18

Even more reprehensible than man-eating out of hunger and opportunity, is our man-eating out of want. Hunger is a fleshly desire of the soma; opportunity is a social desire of the soul; but want is a devilish desire of the spirit. Like a bloodthirsty man-eater who keeps returning to a village for more, so are we when we seek out aggression for sheer pleasure. The end result is certain death. We tear apart everyone in our path until someone brave enough to stand up to us (God) takes us down.

But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not, and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that do count it pleasure to riot in the day time. – 2 Peter 2:12-13

Do you enjoy the thrill of a fight? Does it feel good to rant and rave, letting your wrath be known to all when you have been rattled? Do you care more about being “right” and coming out Alpha, than forgiving and forgetting? Do you shut your conscience down when enraged? Do you justify your temporary insanity as “passion”? Are you always the last to apologize, if at all? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, you may be getting a taste for blood that will be nigh to impossible to shake if you continue on this dangerous path. Now is the time to repent and trade in the old heart of hatred for a new one of love. If Saul, the murderer, could become Paul, the missionary…you can change your course also.

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them…They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain… – Isaiah 11:6,9a

In conclusion…

Hunger + Opportunity + Want = H.O.W. a man-eater is made.

Friends, we humans have a privileged position. We are the only creation on this earth that consist of soma, soul, and spirit. May we never squander these gifts and become like a plant or animal, given to aggressive practices. May we rather glorify God and be a people given to peace, security, and love towards our fellow man.

No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. – Isaiah 35:9-10

For God’s Glory,
CA Bolks

Chelsea Bolks is a church of Christ minister’s wife, and the home educating mother of two children. She and her family currently reside in Northwest Iowa.