Life Lessons From Cockroaches
Cockroaches are fascinating creatures. Did you know that they can continue living days, even weeks, after being decapitated. That’s because their blood pressure, circulation, and respiration is not controlled by their brains. They can feel and sense and amble about, appearing whole, though headless. And what’s even creepier is that their heads will survive also. Yet neither will survive effectively.
The body will roam around aimlessly, with no memory or mission, until it finally starves to death (seems they do at least need the head to eat). The head will also survive, with antennae strobing, responding to stimuli, consciously aware of its surroundings, but unable to move or make any impact on its environment. Two separated parts of one body – alive, yet utterly ineffectual. Check out this video.
So often, we Christians are like decapitated cockroaches. Some of us walk around all all caught up in our feelings. We care deeply about people or issues. We even interpret Scripture or make assessments of God’s will based on our “feelings” about a given issue, circumstance, or situation.
Others of us walk around like a head without a heart. We have tons of knowledge, but lack grace, compassion, or empathy. In short, we lack God’s agape love. We spout knowledge as if knowledge alone can have effectual impact.
The Christian must think, respond, react with their entire being. Feelings without thoughtfulness, knowledge, wisdom, can leave us reactionary, grounded in our own senses, rather than in the truth and mind of God. Knowledge without feelings – or better said, heart, compassion, empathy, agape love – simply puffs up.
Like the cockroach, our hearts and minds must be in touch with each other, working in a symbiotic relationship if we are to minister the “whole” counsel of God.
“… Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.” 1 Cor 8:1 (NKJV)
“If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” 1 Cor 13:1-3 (NIV)
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding [e.g., feelings or emotions]. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Prov 3:5-6
Empty Your Cup So It Can Be Filled
A master martial artist asked Bruce Lee to teach him everything he knew about martial arts. Bruce held up two cups, both filled with liquid. "The first cup," said Bruce, "represents all of your knowledge about martial arts. The second cup represents all of my knowledge about martial arts. If you want to fill your cup with my knowledge, you must first empty your cup of your knowledge."
The greatest yearning of the human heart is to know there is a purpose to life. We try to find purpose in things like marriage, career, relationships. But Paul tells us the true purpose of life, the only one that can bring the fulfillment for which our hearts long, is to know Christ. He says, “That I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him” (Philippians 3:10).
In order for Christ to become the focus of your life, however, you must first empty your cup of the things that contradict that focus. But rest assured, what you gain in this process is well worth all that is lost (Philippians 3:8).
Everybody Can Be Great!
"Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."
Civil Rights Champion, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
"If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all" (Mark 9:35; c.f., Mark 10:43; Luke 22:26).