Fighting Dragons with a Weed Eater

Fighting Dragons with a Weed Eater

It’s a cool afternoon, and I’m out helping a friend do some yard work on a nice, sunny fall day. Lots of leaves are on the ground, and I’m enjoying the fellowship, being outside and hard work. But then I saw it -- the biggest brown snake I have ever seen. I am a big guy, and I admit that even though it wasn’t a poisonous snake I jumped and squeaked a bit. It quickly slithered under a big pile of leaves. We were trying to get a closer look and figure out a way to get the snake out of the yard, when one of the scariest things of my life to date happened. Out of the leaves jumped a dragon! It looked like that short, fat stubby one with little wings from the movie “How to Train Your Dragon.” It started chasing us, and all I had to defend myself with was a stupid weed eater. I was totally unprepared for what could have happened. Then, fortunately something totally amazing happened that literally saved my life -- I woke up.

I was sharing this dream with my good friend Adam today. I was talking to him about how I have been having Bible study with another friend. We have been reading and discussing the book of Daniel, and ever since we started I have been having these strange, weird dreams. I don’t smoke pot, but I have been around that subculture enough to know some of the strange visions and illusions people have while on drugs. I told Adam that he probably wouldn’t want to be my friend after I shared these strange dreams with him. He gracefully said no problem, but very wisely said in regards to my dream: “Fighting the spiritual battles with the wrong tools is like trying to fight a dragon with a weed eater.”

Man that really makes sense, and it’s a good word not just for myself but for all of us. Why do we as followers of Christ still try to fight spiritual battles on our own power? We still don’t get it -- to fight a dragon, you need a dragon slayer. God has given us every access to all the spiritual weapons, armor, and tools we need to face our daily challenges.

I mentioned the book of Daniel earlier, and this is what God is showing me. Daniel is like a kind of “accidental missionary.” Here you have a young man taken into captivity, but even in those circumstances, by God’s divine grace and purpose, Daniel is continually put into a position of importance and influence by his enemies. And what does he do? He refuses to defile himself, he refuses to bow down and pray to anyone but God, he only allows things into his body that are healthy and won’t bring dishonor to God. Over and over, the different kings he is in bondage to begin to show signs of understanding and believing that the God that Daniel worships is “the God of gods, the Lord of kings…His kingdom is an eternal kingdom…for he is the living God… “(2:47, 42, 3, 6:25).

One thing that I think is critical to our ability to faithfully endure to the end is exemplified by Daniel -- he trusted God. No matter what situation he was in, he purposefully kept things in perspective by trusting God, obeying God, and leaving everything else up to Him. If only we could get that, if we could somehow do that in our own lives – if I could put it into practice in my life. Why do I continue to fight my own battles, fight against people, places, and circumstances that I have no control over? I am learning how to trust God every day with everything, while keeping myself in a posture of readiness to follow his commands (loving Him, loving others, and making disciples). Because the other way, the weed eater vs. the dragon way, only leads to my own demise. Thank you God for a lesson learned.

Blessings,

J Guthrie