Luke 18--Telling the Story
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Then Jesus told them a story to teach them.
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Jesus loved telling stories. So do I. Maybe that puts me in good company.
Many of Jesus’ stories feature tricksters. They guy who was going to tear down his barn to build a bigger one tricked himself out of a blessing. The unmerciful servant who abused a fellow servant was way too sneaky for his own good. The prodigal son was a hoodoo who had to give up his tricks and come home for good.
Native people have hundreds of trickster stories about Coyote, Rabbit, Raven, and Glooscap. Tricksters are often like Wile E. Coyote or Barney Fife: low on common sense but full of bluff and bluster.
Maybe we love tricksters because we all have a little bit of Wile E. Coyote in our souls. I want to think that someday I will be a gentle soul like Mr. Rogers. To be honest, I may be more like Barney Fife.
Tricksters always think they can control what will happen next. Wise people—persons of faith—know that is God’s job.
Things go so much better when we admit that our lives are out of control, and we need a higher power to restore us to sanity. We might be clever enough to fool ourselves, but when we come face to face with the Creator we need honesty and humility.
So how is it going for you?
Have your plans all blown up in your face before—but this time it’s a sure thing? Maybe it’s time to put down all the Acme blueprints you have drawn up for yourself. Maybe it’s time to confess that you cannot manage your life. You need God to save you from your own cleverness.
Jesus told a few good stories about that... Maybe he told them about you.