July 12 We went to the movies! The Lone Ranger

I grew up watching the “real” Lone Ranger, the one who rode Silver, was accompanied by his pal Tonto, and who always caught the bad guys – kind of a Robin Hood character---well, the Robin Hood I knew.  Anyway, we went to the new movie, The Lone Ranger, with a certain set of expectations, our Hero would ride again.

Now I had heard that Johnny Depp had researched Indian history and had even joined an Indian tribe, and that he was doing everything he could to respect the Indian people.  But did he have to make the Lone Ranger be such a weak and silly character for most of the movie?  Now, it is not that I wanted the Indian people to be made less than; I just didn’t think my hero needed to be made less than.

As I thought about this, it took me back many years to the mission field in Africa.  We were the “newbies,’ and I expected the veteran missionaries to deserve the pedestal I had put them up on. Then I was crushed when I realized they were normal people who sometimes succumbed to self and temptation.  Mind you, it never occurred to me that I was a missionary and someone might have me on a pedestal because I knew how flawed I was.

We do that though, don’t we?  Look at other believers, especially those in any kind of leadership or public role, put them on a pedestal and expect them to be perfect, to never let us down, to never let themselves down.  And when they do, because they are not perfect, bad things happen.  Their weakness becomes an excuse to walk away for some.  For others, it becomes a rationale for their own weaknesses, and future failures.  The problem is our eyes are in the wrong place.

Let me quote from Andrew Murray:  (Our) teaching must always be a personal testimony from experience (of) who Christ is and what He can do.  The Holy Spirit carries the message as a living reality to the heart.  It is this that will build up believers so that they can walk in fellowship with Jesus Christ. And it is this that will lead them to the knowledge of the indispensable secret of spiritual health – the prayer life in daily fellowship, in childlike love, with the Father and the Son.

Therein lies the challenge, to keep our life and conversation focused on the reality of the gospel and how it has influenced our lives.  I don’t know why, well, yes I do, it is so hard to talk about our personal

relationship with Christ.  It is because the evil one is alive and well and seeking whom he may devour.  So he lies to us and makes us afraid of talking about personal spiritual things, when in reality, the testimony of God’s work in our personal faith journey is the one thing that could have lasting influence.

As much as I fail to keep Him there, the only One Who belongs on any kind of pedestal is my Lord.