Too much of a good thing?

Pastor Eric J. Kregel

There was a man who was busy; busy with doing all of the right things. He was born into a good family, with loving parents who raised him well. He received good marks in his classes, ran track in high school, and dated a high standard of girls throughout his teen years. What made him so rounded, many believed, was that he attended his church’s youth group. At the youth group, he memorized Bible passages and learned many wonderful things about the teachings of Jesus. He went on lots of mission trips, feeding the poor and learning what poverty looked like outside of the Canadian borders. He grew a lot, expanding his spirituality and his morality. He increased. When he left home, something happened to him. Either it was when he went to college and sat under a professor who challenged his faith; or that he kept losing arguments with his friends about God’s existence; or, simply, he became a man with all of a man’s questions. Somehow he received the message that he wasn’t a good enough Christian. He believed he needed to grow more, become more. To increase. So he committed himself to hours of volunteer work, working with teens at his church. He fell in love and got married to a beautiful wife. They moved into a beautiful home, to raise three beautiful children. In addition to working with teens at his church, he took up coaching volleyball and hockey, so he could give back to the community. He was a hard worker, steady and dependable. During the seldom leisure hours he could afford, he read lots of books. Deep books, written by great Christian writers. He memorized more of the Bible, never missing a church service and always attending a small group. On his vacation times, he would go to conferences and Christian theme cruises and spiritual retreats. He grew, becoming more. He increased. One night, he had a vivid dream. He found himself in the middle of a garden, surrounded by every beautiful fruit tree and plant imaginable. As he walked through the garden, he followed a stream that led him to a tall ash tree. Sitting under the shade of the ash tree was Jesus Christ. Jesus rose and bid the man to join him under the tree. When the man joined him, Jesus asked, “So, you’ve been busy, haven’t you? Bible study, conferences, volunteer work, hockey, family time, church. . .why have you kept yourself busy?” “Well,” the man said. “So I can grow more. I can get better. So I can increase.” “Why would you want to do that?” Jesus asked with a grin. “So I’m a better witness. So people can look at my life and see there’s a difference. And when they see the difference, I can tell them about you. Plus, it keeps me out of trouble.” “Let me get this straight,” Jesus said. “You are increasing all of your goodness to help me? You’re making yourself look and be good so I look good?” “Yes, Lord.” Jesus chuckled, as if laughing at a joke the man didn’t understand. Jesus walked away from him. “I’m touched that you’re trying to be so helpful, but no thank you. I don’t think I need your help. I’m calling you off the work site in increasing yourself.” Jesus left. The man awoke from the dream sobbing. The next two weeks for the man were spent in agony. Every time he opened his Bible he felt nothing. He felt no joy coming home or leaving for work. One night, he lost his temper while coaching hockey and finding himself having to apologize to his kids later. Every time he went to church, the sound of his pastor’s voice pained him. When it was day, he wished it was night; when it was night, he wished it was day. One night, after several sleepless evenings in his bed, he drifted away and had a dream. He was back in the garden, following the stream to the ash tree. Every step, every crunch of dirt under his foot pricked his feet. As the stream snaked around a patch of berry bushes, he saw the tall ash tree. This time, sitting under the tree wasn’t Jesus, but John the Baptist. John bid him to come over to him. The man complied and when he arrived, John asked, “So I hear Jesus put you into a tailspin?” “I don’t understand,” he said. “I tried to be a good person, grow and increase in knowledge and activity. I thought that was the point, wasn’t it? Know more, grow more, and increase?” John chuckled, a laugh reminiscent of Jesus’ in the previous dream. “I used to live like you did. I preached in the desert, ate locust and honey, got a following, and kept myself in all of the books of the law. I thought that if I did more and became more, Jesus would be more happy with me. What a lonely life that proved to be! “Then I learned something the day I finally met Jesus. Instead of me increasing for Christ, I had to learn to decrease. I had to make room for Christ, so He could reign. Cut back, downsize, and trim down. In short, I had to decrease so that Christ could increase. And it has meant a world of difference.” From behind the man, Christ’s voice rung out. “He’s right,” Jesus said. “I don’t want you to be busy, I want you. If the world sees less of you and more of me, that is what I call witness.” “And all of the stuff?” the man asked. “It’s good, I guess. But activity does not mark a relationship and a relationship is what I want. I want more of you, not more work hours. So come. Come and follow me.” And the man was left with the decision to increase or to decrease. Increase, and be busy? Or decrease, allowing Christ to fill his life more?