Vulnerable, Yet Secure

Sunday 11/30/2014 5:14 AM

I am six feet eight inches in height. Being tall can have its advantages. Jaci likes it because I come in handy when she needs items that are stored on the top shelf in the cupboard and I am also easy to spot in a crowd of people or in a store. My head sticks up above everyone else’s head and above the aisles so she simply looks up and tries to find my balding pate.

What is an advantage for her can be a disadvantage for me. When I am in a crowd of people I can see a long distance over the top of the heads of others but I can also be easily disoriented when the crowd is moving, as happens when entering or exiting a sporting event where thousands of people are in attendance. It can give me the feeling that I am afloat in a sea of people as I watch their heads bobbing around me and I can become dizzy to the point that I almost fall over.

My psalm for the week is Psalm 27. Verses 5 and 6 read, “For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord.” I like the image of hiding in the shelter of the sacred tent, safe from all the enemies that may surround me. It’s nice to be lost in the crowd with no responsibility to lead. I simply follow the person ahead of me and; much like a bird in a swarming flock or a fish in a swirling school, I am also less likely to be attacked by a predator. On the other hand, being set high upon a rock gives me mixed feelings. It is a nice to have an overarching view of things from that perspective but it can also be a very vulnerable position. One is easy to spot if one’s head is above all the surrounding territory and things that stick up are easy targets for those who would want to do harm.

God wants me to have the security of hiding in the shelter of his wings but he also wants to set me high on a rock. He doesn’t want me to blindly follow everyone else around, trying my best to blend in without drawing attention to myself. He wants me to be set apart for all to see, to sacrifice, with shouts of joy, in the midst of a crowd of people that horde more and more for themselves. He wants me to sing and make joyful music when those around are singing dirges. He wants me to see the big picture, to have perspective, in a myopic world.

The danger of living in such a manner is that of becoming a target for others around. The nail that sticks up is usually hammered down. If I attempt to live differently from the crowd, those around will closely examine my life, looking to charge me with hypocrisy or of having ulterior motives. I become more vulnerable in a world that can be extremely hostile.

Do I trust God enough to lead me against the flow of the crowd, to a life of sacrifice and love? Do I have the desire to see the world for what it is and to be a beacon of hope and joy for others to see? Do I have the courage to live my life vulnerably, to have God set me high upon a rock, or do I crave the security of the crowd too much to take a risk? I pray that I will be vulnerable enough to follow the Spirit, trusting God for my security.