Acting Crabby
Put a bunch of crabs in a bucket and you'll witness an interesting phenomenon. When one attempts to climb out of the bucket, the other crabs pull him back down.
Follow the link above to learn more about "Crab Mentality."
We see this same thing happen whenever a seeker begins to look for a way out of his hopeless life. Those who are in the same "bucket" reach out to pull him back. Even those who claim to have no interest in spiritual things will suddenly display a vested interest in holding him back. If there is no God, why should they care?
"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:10).
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life" (Mark 10:29-30).
Additional Application:
From the blog page "Ridiculously Extraordinary":
"I’ve noticed myself doing this on occasion and it’s upsetting to think about. For example, somebody brings an idea to me and I immediately shoot it down. 'Ehh, I don’t think that will work.' And you know what? It might not. But who am I to shoot someone down?
"I’m supposed to be supportive of my friends, family, and business partners.
"So from now on, if a friend comes to me with an idea, instead of shooting it down if I think maybe it’s not doable I’ll say 'Hmm, I’m not sure I can help, but don’t listen to me. What steps can you take right now to make it happen? And how do you think I can help?'”
"Just think of the possibilities if we all supported those close to us in this way."
Rather, Paul tells us that we should, "Rejoice with those who rejoice" (Romans 12:15).
Daddy, Can We Get A Puppy?
If you are a parent, you’ve heard these words before: “Mommy, Daddy, can we get a puppy?” And, if you are smart, you responded with the following: “You know puppies are a lot of trouble. You would have to walk it at least three times a day and make sure it is fed. You would have to bathe it at least twice a week and brush it every day. You would also have to train it and take it outside to use the bathroom. And if it ever poo-poo’s or tee-tee’s in the house, it would be your responsibility to clean it up.”
Although the above lecture is normally used as a doggie deterrent, most children respond by saying, “I don’t care. I wouldn’t mind doing all that as long as I had a puppy!” So we break down and buy the puppy, and a month later we are stuck feeding, walking and cleaning up after it. The exasperated child says, “I just didn’t know how much work it would be!”
In chapter 8 of I Samuel, we find an aging Samuel and a demanding Israelite nation that was much like a child demanding a puppy of his parents. But instead of a puppy, Israel was demanding a king. Samuel attempted to warn them. Paraphrased, he said, “You know kings are a lot of trouble. He will take your sons and turn them into soldiers. He will take your daughters and make them cook for him. And much of the food they will be cooking will be food he has taken from you. Also, if he wants to, he will take your servants and animals and make them his. He will treat you so badly that it will make you cry out in regret.”
Yet just like a child wanting a puppy, they replied, “We don’t care. We wouldn’t mind all that as long as we had a king.” Although Samuel couldn’t have made it any clearer, they could not see through their own selfishness to the negative result that would come from their request. The fact is that when we are being completely selfish, no amount of good reasoning will help us see things differently. We become blinded by our own desires.
The difficult thing about a heart of selfishness is that it is hard to detect. We think we are being reasonable, justified, or even optimistic, when in reality we are blinded by our own wants.
The Sin of the Desert
Bedouins in Israel still live in tents as ancient peoples such as Abraham used to live. An old saying among them concerns water and the horrible practice of failing to identify it for other's use in the future. They say, "The great sin of the desert is knowing where to find water and failing to tell others."
We live in a spiritually dry and thirsty world. We know that the world can find grace in the crucified and risen Savior, Jesus Christ. Let us not sin against them by failing to tell them.
"Then they said to each other, “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Let’s go at once and report this to the royal palace" (2 Kings 7:9).
"The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the LORD will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them" (Isaiah 41:17).
"But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life" (John 4:14).