by John Godfrey Saxe
It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the elephant
(Though each of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satify his mind.
The First approched the elephant,
And, happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl;
"God bless me! but the elephant
Is nothing but a wall!"
The second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried: "Ho! what have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me 'tis mighty clear
This wonder of an elephant
Is very like a spear!"
The Third approached the animal
And, happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus bodly up and spake:
"I see," quoth he, "the elephant
Is very like a snake!"
The Fourth reached out his eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
"What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain," quoth he,
"'Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a tree!"
The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: "E'en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can,
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a fan!"
The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Then, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant
Is very like a rope!"
And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong!
MORAL.
So oft in theologic wars,
The disputants, I ween,
Rail on in utter ignorance
Of what each other mean,
And prate about an Elephant
Not one of them has seen!
Proverbs 10:19
When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.
I read this poem tonight to my eight year old son. I happened to turn to it by accident. Or was it an accident? I don't know. Anyway, it was interesting to me because lately I look around and see that many believe they have stumbled upon all the answers, or most of them. However, I contend that we all have a certain amount of blindness, especially in matters related to God and what we believe about Him, who He is and what pleases Him. We tend to have our own opinions and have no problem expressing them as doctrinal, even if scripture doesn't always support our views. Perhaps we have to stretch a bit to form whatever conclusion we might have come to but that doesn't seem to slow our enthusiasm at all. We take those liberties and more. I sincerely and humbly believe that this is a dangerous position. I think back to some of the doctrinal and theological acrobatics, yet thoroughly popular stances I learned and was taught to perform and I feel a sense of embarrassment and sadness over taking such leaps. I believed what I heard, not always what I read or studied out thoroughly in His Word. This was not a good move. I can't take that back now, but I can try to get the word out.....His Word out, not mine. I can do what I can to share with whoever will give ear to hear to be sure, very sure about what we speak in the name of Elohim, before it proceeds from our lips.
Honestly, "I don't know", are some of the most refreshing three words I ever hear anymore. They are honest words. Those same words used to put me in a panic in regards to my faith, but now I appreciate the transparency. Although I am continually searching for more truth in His Word and am very eager to be shown scripture to come into more understanding, I prefer someone tell me they don't have the answers rather than present personal "ideas" or conclusions they have come to or heard from others. (Mat. 15:7)
I always told my older children the "Brownie Story" when they were little and I tell it to my younger children now. Do you know the one I am talking about? A father was dealing with his children's desire to watch a movie he believed to be inappropriate. His children pleaded expressing that the movie only had a "little" bad stuff in it. He prepared some brownie batter and had his children fetch a small amount of dog excrement and proceeded to put it in the brownie batter and bake brownies. Was it any surprise that none of the children wanted to eat the brownies when they came out of the oven? "But", the father exclaimed, "they only contain a 'little' bad stuff!" I probably tell that story too much as it gets a little rolling of eyes when it is brought up in my house, but the lesson is powerful. It only takes a little inaccuracy, a little untruth, a little sin, a wrong attitude, an agenda....you name it.... to defile something as pure, righteous and Holy as Elohim's Word. Our words, our hearts, our minds are capable of that! Should we not be extra cautious in how we handle something so valuable?
I am in the process of learning that my perceptions or interpretations are not always correct. I should only be 100% convinced that they are accurate when all scripture supports my conclusions and not just something taken out of context to support an emotion I might be feeling. My feelings should be the last measure of what truth is as they are part of my corrupted flesh. In fact, quite frequently, what is true and pure will be completely opposed to what I am feeling at the time. It will challenge me and cause me to die to myself! This is not easy, but His Word is a sword and it doesn't "feel" good when it is doing it's job. (Eph. 6:17)
So often, we, myself included, can stumble upon something we believe to be the whole truth, when in reality it is only a small picture of the whole. We can be very sincere about it just like the blind men. We will argue to no end about it and become very offended if we are challenged. We are all, to some degree, blind. It is only His Word that can lead us into His truth and only by way of a broken and contrite heart. That heart, the broken and contrite one, is the only fertile soil for the seed of His Word to produce fruit therein. Not that we need to go around beating ourselves or calling ourselves worms or anything. We just need to be humble and teachable and willing to examine our hearts. There is way too much time spent on pointing out what everyone else is doing incorrectly rather than focusing on getting it right ourselves! I don't know about you, but walking out my own walk with the Father and learning to grow up in Him, for me, personally, takes a lot of time and focus on His Word and coming before Him in prayer. If I am busy examining your faults I am probably missing many or most of my own.
This Psalm was written by David after his sin with Bathsheba. None the less I believe it is accurate anytime we have incorrect ideas about Him or speak inaccuracies regarding His Word. If our words commit unfaithfulness to Him by misrepresenting Him we need to repent of that and allow Him to cleanse and renew us. This may not apply to you but if He has touched your heart in this area, as He has mine, pray this prayer contained in this Psalm with me:
Psalm 51
1 For the leader. A psalm of David, when Natan the prophet came to him after his affair with Bat-Sheva: God, in your grace, have mercy on me; in your great compassion, blot out my crimes. 2 Wash me completely from my guilt, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my crimes, my sin confronts me all the time. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil from your perspective; so that you are right in accusing me and justified in passing sentence. 5 True, I was born guilty, was a sinner from the moment my mother conceived me. 6 Still, you want truth in the inner person; so make me know wisdom in my inmost heart. 7 Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear the sound of joy and gladness, so that the bones you crushed can rejoice. 9 Turn away your face from my sins, and blot out all my crimes. 10 Create in me a clean heart, God; renew in me a resolute spirit. 11 Don't thrust me away from your presence, don't take your Ruach Kodesh away from me. 12 Restore my joy in your salvation, and let a willing spirit uphold me. 13 Then I will teach the wicked your ways, and sinners will return to you. 14 Rescue me from the guilt of shedding blood, God, God of my salvation! Then my tongue will sing about your righteousness 15 Adonai, open my lips; then my mouth will praise you. 16 For you don't want sacrifices, or I would give them; you don't take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 My sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; God, you won't spurn a broken, chastened heart. 18 In your good pleasure, make Tziyon prosper; rebuild the walls of Yerushalayim. 19 Then you will delight in righteous sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then they will offer bulls on your altar.
So be it.
Much love and blessings to you in Messiah Yahshua,
More than a Conqueror
