Of Whiskey Wars and Wholeheartedness
Hans Island is a small, uninhabited rock in the Arctic’s Nares Strait, situated directly between Canada’s Ellesmere Island and Greenland (an autonomous territory of Denmark). For nearly 50 years, it was at the center of a quirky little territorial dispute known as the “Whisky War.”
Both Canada and Denmark laid territorial claim to this seemingly useless hunk of rock floating in those artice waters. Yet, it wasn't quite worth taking up arms over. Instead, each nation would periodically lay claim to the island by raising their flag there, and then good humoredly leaving a bottle of their nation's finest whiskey as a consolation prize for the other country having been "conquered."
The standoff ended peacefully in June 2022, when Canada and Denmark finally agreed to split the island roughly in half, creating a new land border between the two nations.
In the spiritual realm, God is endlessly in a tug of war with the world for your heart. He is not happy to settle for half. He is not willing to compromise for a portion.
In the war for territorial rights to your heart, Jesus wants it all!
"Jesus said unto him, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with ALL thy heart, and with ALL thy soul, and with ALL thy mind'" (Matthew 22:37, KJV).
"And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 11:19, ESV).
"Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name" (Psalm 86:11, ESV).
Jesus Our Standard
In the sixth century, most of the world lacked a reliable standard of measurement. Townships in Germany, for example, were advised to take the average length of the left foot of sixteen men to determine a “foot.”
The thirty-six inch “yard” comes down to us from King Henry I of England. The king established a yard to be the length from the tip of his nose to the end of his right arm, and decreed it would be the universal standard by which everything else in the kingdom would be measured.
This decree of standardization effectually transformed every act of measurement in the kingdom into an acknowledgment of his reign.
We acknowledge the reign of Jesus as King every time we allow him to be the standard by which we measure what is good and right and true.
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2, ESV).
"Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge" (Romans 3:4, NIV).
The Leaning Tower of San Francisco
Melia Robinson, with Business Insider, reports:
Millennium Tower is a luxury residential high-rise that has sunk 17 inches and tilted 14 inches since it was completed in 2008. Though an inspection by the city showed it's safe to occupy, the situation has sparked an exodus from the building. Residents say they're selling multimillion-dollar condos at a loss, with the value of their homes tumbling $320,000 on average.
... One disgruntled resident told producers that with so many lawyers involved, it takes the court 30 minutes just to take attendance during legal proceedings.
... Some critics blame the city of San Francisco for allowing Millennium Partners to anchor the building 80 feet into packed sand rather than 200 feet down to bedrock.
... Residents now say they are "stuck with nearly worthless condos," according to NBC Bay Area.
... As Millennium Tower keeps on sinking, its fate remains unclear.
Jesus said, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash” (Matthew 7:24-27, NLT).
There’s nothing unclear about Jesus forecast for those who choose to build their lives on sand rather than solid rock. Apparently, the ancient principle still holds true, even in this modern age. And so does the application that He gave to it. Trust in His teaching is the bedrock on which we must build our lives. Otherwise, all that we purpose to do in the New Year is certain to sink, tilt and collapse.