Spiritual House Breaking

We're house training our puppy and it's raining.  It has been for almost the entirety of the two and a half weeks that we've had him.  Need I say more?

We've had some good - nearly perfect - potty training days and then days like today.  Lest you feel sorry for a puppy that has to venture out into the rain to relieve himself, let me clarify that he has a sheltered area with a cozy, dry bed, his water and food all under cover.  But since the rooftop terrace is concrete, there are puddles.  He has no qualms with venturing out into the rain when hungry and eating to his heart content.  But piddling and other such relief, he has determined is far better or more comfortably accomplished in our house.  This might be noted as a form of selective submission and obedience.

Selective submission and obedience is something I know a little about.  But let me introduce you to a buddy of mine instead.

She's a smart friend who kindly doesn't laugh when I can't tell her the kind of cell phone I have and who moves right on without missing a beat when I confess I don't have an Ipod or Ipad  (and wouldn't know how to use one if I did).  Anyway,  she kindly surrendered an hour and a half of her day today to listen, encourage and exhort me.    She counseled me to step back, take good care of my physical as well as spiritual self and (gulp) suggested that God just might be more interested in sanctifying me than in all that stuff I do to serve Him.

I didn't particularly want to hear all of that and thought that maybe I could accidentally disconnect my skype connection or pretend we'd lost audio contact or had a power outage.  There is one slight problem with that however; she's a cool friend.  She's real.  She gets down and dirty and doesn't mince words with her faith.  She goes out on the edge and cheers me on when most don't even understand that I'm in the midst of battle.  She prays.  She understands radical faith.  And she's smart.  You don't disconnect those kinds of friends because they are somewhat rare and definitely irreplaceable - even if a tad pushy on one's buttons.  Besides, thanks to her, the next time someone inquires about my phone I can tell them without a doubt that it's a Nokia.  Given a little time, smart friends will rub off on you.

However, since my leaning is to be selectively obedient and submissive I will apply that to her counsel.  I will choose to step back when it's easiest, like when I am afraid.   I'll look  after myself when the bus is crowded and only the pushy people get seats.  I'll make time for prayer when others are cleaning the bathrooms at the foundation.  I'll follow my puppy's example and relieve myself out of doors only when the sun is shining.

To be honest, I really don't know how to submit to her exhortation in a way that honors God.  How in the world do you step back when the intense needs of the world are suffocatingly close and overwhelming?  How do you prioritize rest when the call is to high risk children that need and need and need?  How do you make time to be alone with God when the opportunities to serve Him fill your every waking hour?  How do you say no to needs that are so great and real?

God is more interested in sanctifying me than reaching them?

God is more interested in freeing me from sin than embracing the child who lives in a one room house with at least three others - with no running water, electricity or bathroom?  God wants to prioritize my spiritual state over these kids on the edge of joining gangs and losing their life because of it?  Abiding in Him is more a priority than finding answers for the child who's mother entered him or her into prostitution at the age of two months?  What kind of a God is that?  Whatever happened to laying down one's life for a friend?

The thought was rather offensive to me at first - presumptuous and self-centered and, well yes, threatening.  I would need to let go of crutches and walk more at risk than ever before.  I would have to be more real about myself and maybe face the fact that I may very well be more messed up than the people I serve.  I would also have to reconsider who God might be.

He would have to be a God that isn't restricted by time or the least bit out of control.  He'd probably be a God who has time for me to get to know Him so that I can eventually truly become his hands and feet.  He'd be a God that is expecting more of me than I am offering at the moment and who has no intention of letting me hide behind the needs of others.  He'd be the God who called me and can make stones into bread, minister through the dullest vessels, turn water into wine and have all the time required for every step of my journey.

We're not going to give up on our puppy until he's got it figured out and has rutted in the right behavioral patterns.  In the mean time, as he's learning we'll love him, cuddle with him, pat him on the head and tell him how great he is when he gets it right.  And in spite of the moments of failure that go into helping him get to where he needs to be, we'll think he is indeed a mighty fine pup.

I guess that in similar fashion that's the God that is sanctifying me.  Together we're going to get the right behavior rutted in.  That makes sense if I'm serious about being His hands and feet.  Totally submitted and obedient. Totally called.  Totally sanctified.  Spiritually potty trained.

You don't suppose my friend's going to call again next week, do you?  If she does, I have a hunch by then the pup will have things figured out and be pooping in the right place. I'm not nearly as optimistic about me.