The First Shall Be Last and the Last Shall Be First

Roadblocks appear to test our ability to grow. To go where some have never been. Some folks ask and wonder, if there is a will, is there a way?

Maybe. Maybe not. Depends upon a lot. In 1640 the power of determination was recognized as a force to be reckoned with. A question to be asked as to how far one can be pushed to the limits. Over time and circumstance, this phrase challenged even the mightiest to look deep within to test the measure of himself or herself. Ask deep within, what would I do to gain?…..

Relax. Explode. Give up?

Fast forward almost 400 years and the landscape looks quite different. Before, our heads looked up for the answers, from up above and within the twinkling of the magnificent stars for the answer to our perils and triumphantly gained success.

Now most of humanity looks down.

Down and out with expressions of doom and gloom, hoping the answers with scroll passed our weary minds and hearts. Not everything is bleak. The calm after the storm can be just as beautiful as the black sky creeping into our normal day.

Suddenly. The shift occurs. After the wind bends the trunk beyond its own limit and it finally surrenders to the force that is reckoning begging: “Enough is enough.” You can’t do this anymore.

The tree takes the hit, but our eyes awe in wonder of the big and mighty tree now down on its side, having lost the battle with Mother Nature. A vigilant force of natural instinct.

Why and how?

The tree had won the fight many storms before, standing tall and strong and grand and green. But this time, this time, the tree went down. Was it without a fight ? Or so it seemed. Slow and steady can win the race, the answer lies not in our attempts to sneakily seem like we have it all together, but in the fact that humans hunger for more than they consciously may be willing to admit.

Weakness shown is weakness sown.

Whether we look up or down for the answers lies not in the eyes, but in the heart. We scan the room for safety, comfort, maybe even a friend. Life is complicated with its twists and turns of truth and consequence. Kidding a kidder is child’s play at best and a waste of time at worst. We can’t always get what we want. So how is this confused with ‘if there is a will there is a way.’ Keep up the good work, the good fight, the facade?

Many ways and many means have us salivating for a bite, thirsting for a sip—of sharing in the consequence of someone’s else’s intentions and efforts. We don’t always realize it in the moment of the endless minutes we stand in the space— alone.

It feels good to be right. It feels even worse to be wrong. Somewhere in between the up-and-down-head-bobs is the answer but we are too busy protecting ourselves from the hurt, the fear, the joy, the celebration. At the end of the day, it is hardest to admit when another doesn’t want to play the game with us, the game they believe they are winning. The game we are desperate not to lose. The game they believe they have taken the lead and are running away with it.

Send in the dogs? Always a good barometer of a harmonious atmosphere of truth and consequence.🙂 When rescued and let into our world with no real reason other than love, their eyes only radiate peace. In the wild, most animals eat everything instantly because food is scarce and competitors are everywhere.

Sound familiar?

When a dog leaves leftovers, they have zero anxiety about the future. Their now home is safe and they know their food will be there with absolute certainty. A harmonious space and an emotionally secure, perfectly balanced companion. (ai)

Phew.

Dog is God spelled backwards.

God’s values are the opposite of the world’s.

(Matthew 20:16) So the last shall be first and the first shall be last. Jesus said, ‘So those who are last now will be first in the future. And those who are first now will be last in the future.’ The dog instinctively knew this already. Brilliantly tested the resolve of the human a bit before putting all his or her eggs in the human basket of differing personalities and agendas.

Further (Mark, Chapter 10) teaches us astutely that Jesus’s teachings on the Kingdom of God illustrates divine judgment that reverses human standards of status, wealth, and privilege.

Let the food fights begin—again.

Kinda.

It is what it is.

Hunger, Hangry, dry-mouth thirst depletes the body of the sensical nature that we are never really in charge of much at all.

He is.

He gets it.

He patiently awaits for when we do and will.

He uses the calm before the storm, the calm after the storm, and all the fallen trees along the way to show us a shift of monumentality. The only thing we should do is pay attention and observe the atmosphere. While we open our eyes at the first morning blaze of sunshine and hope, we should be thankful He puts others in our way, roadblocks if you will, to test our measure of what we hold true and dear and light.

(Mark 4:19) ‘ But the worries of this life, the deceitful-ness of wealth and desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

How do you like them apples?🍎 🍏

Not so much, I guess.

Sharing is one way to steady the apple cart and it is important to diligently remember daily that,

God knows our hearts.

‘Whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.’ (Mark, 4:19–again) Bears repeating.

Huh?

Exactly.

The sounds of the storm rocking our surroundings to our core, fear and dread in the moment of the rocking and seemingly never-ending terror—is Him.

What happens? A beautiful tree steps up and takes the hit. A beautiful tree says Goodnight. I am tired. Rest assured that I am always with you and will be until the end of time. Right now it was my time to go. Be not afraid, I go before you always. Come follow me, and I will give you rest.

If, instead you choose a different team, I will wait.

Although the tree leaves a space of fight and honor, we have the power now to get to work on remembering our jobs down hear on earth.

To always look up for the answer, never down and remember we are not in charge.

He is.🙏🏻

Amen.🌪️