Every Christmas, I somehow, some way find myself taking in another round of ‘Elf‘. After all, you leave your TV on long enough during December, it’s bound to happen. Although the movie isn’t exactly my cup of tea, I’d be a cotton-headed ninny muggins if I said there weren’t any truths tucked within the movie’s many memorable moments.
Thus, in the spirit of modern day parables, here are three life lessons inspired by Elf quotes worth eating up this holiday season…
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Jovie: “It IS a crappy cup of coffee.”Buddy: “No, it’s the world’s BEST cup of coffee.”
Believing the best isn’t always easy. I know for me, I’d rather ‘get real’ with what’s in front of me than entertain what’s outside of me. Yet, I also know, while honest assessment is certainly a fair practice, when it becomes boxed in by circumstances, opportunities to shine hope into them can be missed.
In the case of Buddy the Elf, his innocent ignorance, though awkward, opens the door for humility…
…not only for the coffee shop to step up to its potential, but for Jovie to believe it could happen.
Accordingly, I can appreciate how Buddy, though delusional, speaks life into what could be, rather than reduce an entire identity to one subpar sip.
Bottom line: While there’s a time to be honest, a time to be transparent, there’s never a time to doubt, even if the best is out of sight, out of mind. ————————————————————————————————————————————————
2. Buddy: “Deb, you have such a pretty face, you should be on a Christmas card.”
Like point #1, showing encouragement isn’t always easy either. Political incorrectness, missing the punch-line, poor delivery mechanics, futile grudges…
…honestly, it’s crazy the excuses we tolerate all for the sake of not looking (or sounding) like a moron.
But with Buddy, not only do you find a model of self-security, but you also see what happens when driven joy and childlike faith collide in a relational context. Despite his lack of filter, Buddy ultimately reminds us it’s better to encourage as a function of determined giving as opposed to convenient action.
Bottom line: If you have something good to say, don’t just say it…give it.————————————————————————————————————————————————
3. Buddy: “SANTA! OH MY GOD! SANTA’S COMING! I KNOW HIM! I KNOW HIM!”
I’ve often wondered why so many wear their faith like a security blanket, only to ditch it when the ‘heat’ is turned up.
It’s like…we have no problem investing in eternal insurance…but also have no problem catering to indifference whenever the ‘rubber meets the road’.
But truth is: when we ‘selah’ on simply Jesus and the joy set before us, it makes perfect sense to get excited and share that enthusiasm with those around us; hence, why Buddy’s reaction here is so priceless given it captures the true spirit of Christmas and reminds us how we’re to celebrate God’s past, present, and future faithfulness.
For when we consider the fact Jesus is coming again, to once more redeem humanity from depravity, we ultimately set ourselves up to trust Christ in a way that fuels an eagerness for that coming.
Bottom line: Stand up, be proud…live your faith out loud…
‘…cause seriously…we have the privilege of knowing the King of Kings & Lord of Lords. How freakin’ awesome is that!?!
A crisp autumn evening is being tucked away with coos as I type this.
Lord knows I need the positive vibes given how bittersweet a month it’s been, not to mention its placement amid an extremely uncomfortable season. Like recent years, Lys & I have been holding on for dear life of late though on this side of Jubilee, the desperation has been different, dare I say, next level.
No question, the ultimate theme of 2023 has been simultaneous grieving and hopeful anticipation. To go from losing a daughter to gaining one in less than 11 months, that’s..*sigh*…that’s insanity at its finest and most glorious. At least for what can be known this side of heaven.
Still, going back to this time last year, I couldn’t have possibly imagined the first full year of what has become a new era within the Fry family journey. The trials and testings, the depth of depressions, the resilience faith has compelled us to, I mean, you’re talking about a year I can’t wait to recap in 5-6 weeks once the New Year comes into greater focus.
For now, I want to offer some perspective to the broken heart along with some zest and zeal to the fatigued.
While it’s true, there will be times when you’re heard, understood, treated fairly, etc., there are other times you’re not supposed to be. As hard as that is to receive, especially during challenging circumstances, it’s a peace-inducing reality when you think about it. For even when you’re run into the ground as part of one’s abuse of the plow, there is a joy to take hold – one that makes little sense at first but becomes more powerful when you say ‘yes’ to it.
For instance, there have been moments in recent months when I’ve felt stuck on an island, crying out into the void, wondering who might hear if I supplicate loud enough. In those instances, the mind craves certain thoughts to be taken captive alongside the white noise and dead silence.
But then God shows up, meets me in the turbulence, and sweetly reminds me, ‘Son, I see the holes you’re walking on. I am here. Let me be and fill your void!‘
And instantly, I’m okay again – a calibrated vessel with the Staples button resounding within: Well then…that was easy.
Now, hear me: I’m not trying to belittle whatever chaos you’re walking through. I’m just looking to charge your spirit. If you’re coming out of a stretch in which you’ve been a fish out of water, don’t just desire water; rather, believe there’s a river with your name on it. You may feel helpless in the immediate flopping on terrain you weren’t designed for, but this doesn’t mean you have to lose heart in light of where you’re going.
Which brings me back to why I’m writing this: If you’re running on empty today, if you’re feeling abandoned or overlooked, let God be, fill, even shape your void! For in this transaction, you allow your Creator to be the receiver of your lack, your fear, your heart to belong and be known. You see, far too often, we ask God to remove our voids and repair our deficits. I recall a specific situation in which I told God, “If you can just make a bridge for me here, I’ll be sure to walk on it.’
However, as I now know, if I’m trusting God’s thoughts and ways as higher (Isaiah 55:8-9), then the pragmatic move is to follow His leading regardless of direction. Like me, you may think you need a bridge when what you really need is a bypass, a nudge, an about-face, heck, even a jump into a boat going under it. Point is: The same reason you’re not alone is the same reason you can take heart when you feel stuck, lost, or misused. As I’ve said before, the best scenic routes in life are often detours. Accordingly, don’t be surprised if your ‘yes’ to God increases the probability of them. After all, we were made to fully rely on God in all things, including our voids as painful they may be. Why not dare to see God in them as we pray and cast our cares and embrace His goodness?
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth…giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me void, but shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.“
I don’t get you. In stealth, you pursue me. In subterfuge, you derail me.
As braincepts draw to the kibbutz in Beeri, the next winter in Ukraine, my mind is blown in a different way. How much I can be fool, how often I succumb to insecurity, vanity, the whispers within desperate to find danger, the next blind spot, letdown, etc.
In all sincerity, for the love of God…
And while you’re at it, stop locking me up as if I’m some victim turned prisoner. Stop trying to convince me these bars were set by my brothers when in fact I cemented them. Bars of false comfort, self-preservation…they are protection from nothing, a greenhouse trapping offense and cynicism.
My pride inflates within your grasp and slips passive-aggressiveness under the door.
Why do I waste time seeking affirmation from the wise? Why do I look for people to prove themselves, to stay themselves? Especially from those who radiate what is good but are ultimately not the source, not the answer. Nothing and nowhere close to the splendor of you?
In all sincerity, for the love of God…
You have no authority, control, or power over me. When I tell this to the principles that bind, the elemental spirits of the world, that’s your cue too. Even if you linger, I will no longer bow to your recriminations at unholy hours. Rather, I will yield to Lordship, the only embraceable solution and way out worth taking.
And for the record, I’m not immune to your cunning, the way you convert expectations into burdens and burdens into bitterness. You feed my resentment and the idea I deserve more, that I’m worth something apart from my Maker. Truth be told, nothing could be further.
So, stop searching me out. Stop climbing my city’s walls. I’m devout but not to your calls. Someday soon, I will be the one to insult you.
For now, I relinquish my futile ploys, the entitlement to turn on people if I sense withdrawal and using encouragement withholding as warfare, among others. In place, I ask in all humility: Get behind me, ego. You weren’t intended to have any part with me. Why should you have a place where I’m going?
For the first time in this series’ history, I’m writing a post to compliment parts 1 and 2 linked above. After encountering a revelation deluge during a sultry late summer run last weekend, I figured integrating these points into this episode made sense.
If you’re checking in for the first time, our goal with ‘Mourning Glory’ is to learn what the Bible says about grief and how to channel mourning into giving God all the glory. In many ways, these posts capture the journey Lys and I have been on this year. We hope these truths minister to your heart regardless of your circumstances.
1) Finding grief in the account of the 12 spies (Numbers 13)
Whether or not we realize it, there’s a piece of us internally during seasons of healing, recovery, and intense grieving looking to scout and assess where we are. Since we almost always need something to anticipate, our idea of ‘Promised Land’ generally becomes the ultimate source of hope (on earth edition). The million-dollar question is: What is our ‘Promised Land’ and how are we getting there?
To answer this question, we have to know what constitutes the giants in our life – what constitutes the Nephilim, and God’s role in the entire operation. For most, we’ve misappropriated our grief within the analogy. We think the giant in the room is the heartbreak, depression, whatever is causing us pain/hurt, etc. However, I submit…
Your pain isn’t the giant in the room. Perhaps an elephant but not a giant. The giant in the room is any toleration or stronghold that keeps us from pressing through…by faith– anything that keeps us stagnant as we walk through hell and/or keeps us from wrestling with God the way Jacob did with the man in Genesis 32.
Put another way, the giants in our lives are tolerated strongholds/sins and negative behavior patterns we use as coping mechanisms and bartering tools to maintain any sense of satisfaction. Tangentially, wrestling with God is how we conquer them and should not be considered optional in our journey to the Promised Land.
Speaking of Promised Land, what is it in the grand scheme of grieving, mourning, and journeying through pain/suffering? I think for most, we assume this represents a graduation, the proof of having healed and moved on. The problem is: If we abide by this perspective, then we limit victory as only realized once we’ve crossed a ‘finish line’, even if it’s one we can’t define it.
If we’re to correct from this mindset, we have to adjust the past vs. participle dichotomy within our thinking. For instance, while many view breakthrough as a binary function (I.e. you’re healed or not healed, moved on or haven’t moved on), the truth is:
We’ve already been set free and as such, can discover our new creation identity on top of our ‘loved by God’ identity day by day.
While the Word says we’ve been purchased at a price, this doesn’t mean we’re going to hit a point in this life when we’re officially complete. In the context of fullness, we’re never going to be complete. We’re never going to be perfect; however, we can still pursue it as being perfected (Matthew 5:48).
Why does this matter? Because we can live and heal without the burden of feeling far from an end goal when the goal is Jesus and He’s never far away!
God is everything and as such, can’t be detached from the Promised Land we’re seeking. Accordingly, don’t forsake or undermine His oasis presence as you journey but receive Who is He as what sustains you and maintains momentum. Walking with us through the valleys and shadows of life implies motion; however, we can’t self-effort that motion (and e-motion for that matter) in a way that leads to where we want to go. This is one of the main reasons why it took the Israelites 40 years to journey through the wilderness.
The Promised Land is multi-dimensional. Although you can experience a part of it through Christ alone, you may still feel far from victory, or should I say the evidence of victory (I.e. being around a group of people that have historically misunderstood you, being in the same space where at one point you experienced trauma in some capacity). Certainly, we can’t embrace strength and courage without abiding by the Spirit and trusting in God’s sovereignty.
For now, I encourage you not to make certain people and circumstances the enemy, as the giants in the room. They are not worth the negative empowerment at the cost of your distrust. Rather, if you want to view your grief as a race, bring God into every leg of it. If it’s a journey, bring Him along as if He’s in your backpack, fanny pack, whatever. The joy in walking with Jesus is you’re being changed, perfected, and nurtured day-by-day. God isn’t just at the finish line waiting for you. He’s with you through the grieving/mourning process ready to share fresh facets of His nature you couldn’t have known had you not gone through the pain, hardship, etc. Hence, why we should see suffering as a gift more than anything else.
2) Finding grief in the account of Jacob’s wrestling with God (Genesis 32)
In this chapter, Jacob is looking for favor in the heat of stress and anxiety. Not only does he feel the betrayal from Laban, but the wrath from Esau, caught up in a bizarre series of deceptions with his life on the line. Like the griever, he’s desperate for assurance and blessing, the realization of comfort and God being for him, not against him. This sets the stage for the wrestling with ‘the man’ (v. 24 ), a beautiful picture of how we should cling to Jesus when we’re suffering and in some cases, grieving on the backend of loss.
Think about it: Jacob had everything to gain tackling His Lord. The cost set before him, he was determined to be take hold of his inheritance relative to his identity despite a side effect in the most literal sense. And it’s here where my imagination has been captured of late.
In the heat of the moment, despite his mourning and discomfort, Jacob never let go…not only to the glory of God but for the sake of never walking the same way again.
As Jacob portrays, wrestling with God is an intimate experience. While it can be uncomfortable, the reality of pain being a gift can triumph through rest knowing we have a default way to react when something goes wrong. I’m telling you, my friends, this is the power and significance of the limp and why we should embrace it as we journey in unity, contend in hope, and help others in need.
Just as we limp when a bone is out of joint to protect us from further damage, we limp when we lose a beloved person and/or experience a significant life change. While limps come in various shapes, sizes, and severities, when we grieve the right way, our inner man is declaring ‘I need Jesus’/’I need my brokenness aligned amidst a broken world‘ . Conversely, when we grieve the wrong way, we declare the injustice is with God Himself and/or the specific people and strongholds involved in the situation that may be fueling the grief.
Therefore, we can take joy when we consider our grief/mourning in the construct of Genesis 32 knowing pain can help us not only reach for Jesus, but see Him reflected in what we’re going through, our limp an always present reality keeping us humble and hopeful along the way.
In closing, I charge you, brothers and sisters, to grieve in hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13) knowing…
And even if you feel you can’t, that’s okay. For in your weakness, He is strong and in your vulnerability shine all the more brightly through saints and providence alike. While more content on this topic will eventually follow, for now, as I always say in bidding adieu…
Note: A more detailed analysis of this passage will be included in the Juby Journey book I’m working on. For now, I’m converting preliminary thoughts into the SOAP Bible study below to archive insight and encourage the saints in the short term.
As one dealing with grief, who went through the ringer last year while Juby was alive, I can’t help but resonate with this passage. Like the protagonist, Lys and I can relate to an afflicted daughter and the desperation for her deliverance. Granted, Juby was not demon-possessed but stricken with chronic lung disease. Still, as we cried out for Jesus, hopefully not to the chagrin of others, we discovered a posture far greater than a spiritual bookmark but of a daily exercise with reproducible influence.
Accordingly, without further ado, I’d like to unpack the remarkable faith of the Syrophoenician woman and how her hope can be a blueprint for those seeking restoration.
“And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, ‘Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.’ But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she is crying out after us.’ He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ And he answered, ‘It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’ Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.“
Observations
1. Before we can dive into the dialogue, we must first assess the setting. While time and place may seem arbitrary, in this case, they carry notable purpose. With the end in sight, Jesus withdrew with the disciples outside Jewish territory to prepare them for the Cross to come. His days numbered, Jesus realized some final exposures and tune-ups were necessary to groom them for life in ministry without His physical presence. As such, the fact He retreated to the hostile confines of Tyre and Sidon should not be perceived as random as Jesus desired to foreshadow the Gospel going out to all peoples. How amazing it is to know Jesus, even in His last days, never stopped breaking down barriers through radical love.
2. Fast-forward to the woman’s cameo, it’s interesting to note what she requests right out of the gate. Instead of healing or intervention, she addresses Jesus as ‘Son of David’ and calls for mercy, instantly acknowledging the Master’s identity, authority, and sovereignty in one swoop (v. 22). While intellectual origins are unknown, somehow, someway, she understood who Jesus was much to the surprise of the cohort. Per the importance of this sequence, we’ll break this down as we go.
3. I also find Jesus’ response to be somewhat peculiar: “But he did not answer her a word” (v. 23). This, to me, is a critical point to examine and requires us to broaden out to consider the context. Again, this will be explored in the points below.
4. Starting with the woman’s location and situation, we find her labeled as an unclean outsider despite her Canaanite designation and erroneously judged for her non-Israelite daughter’s condition. In terms of geography and timeline, we aren’t informed of any prior wonders performed in Tyre and Sidon prior to this passage. This adds a curious wrinkle to the story as one must wonder how a woman of this stature and status could recognize Jesus as the Messiah.
5. Going back to Jesus’ response, we find multiple motives. For the disciples citing the woman as a distraction, Jesus addresses their bias prior to answering her cry (v. 24):
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
The reason behind this is at least twofold: On one hand, Jesus wanted to remind the disciples who He was in light of what He came to do as clearly, a portion of the twelve were still pigeon-holing His kingship. On the other hand, Jesus’ intended His initial silence to be an opportunity for the woman to show patience…and resilience. From ‘have mercy’ to ‘help me’ in consecutive pleas (v. 25), the woman wasn’t just conveying poetic symmetry but reiterating Jesus’ mission. Already she had correctly identified Jesus as the Son of God (a full two chapters prior to Peter’s declaration in 16:16); now, she was begging Jesus to be consistent to her…
…what you do to Israel, please, Lord, do to me and my household as well.
6. In addition to the woman’s opening inquiry, I’m captivated by her posture. Even if she just said, ‘Son of David, please help me. My daughter is possessed’, Jesus would have recognized the woman’s understanding of His lordship through her positioning. While the woman’s kneel wasn’t evident during her first appeal, the fact Jesus gave the woman more time, in part, to let her go deeper in referencing Him was not part of instinctual circumstance. Rather, it was an intentional maneuver for her to anchor her surrender and confirm her awareness in front of a freshly humbled core of disciples.
7. The exchange between Jesus and the woman immediately following is arguably one of the most profound moments during His ministry. Up to this point, Jesus hasn’t said a word. Now ready, we again see the silence’s effect per His decision to test the depth and sincerity of her invitation. With the woman’s hopelessness on a timer, He uses the woman’s location and sense of identity as a means to assess her heart:
“It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs” (v. 26)
Here, Jesus elects to use ‘dog’ knowing the term was derogatory as a Gentile reference. To be a dog in Israel was to be regarded as a dirty, street scavenger; however, Jesus doesn’t associate the term to her poverty as much as her perceived sense of spiritual destitution. At the time, the rift between Jew and Gentile (between ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’) was still strong but, in a preview, we find a woman authenticating her hope while also foreshadowing the expiration of Gentile believers’ spiritual homelessness.
In the woman’s reply, “Yes, Lord; but even the pet dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their [young] masters’ table” (v. 27), we not only find confidence beyond imminent healing but in the salvation of her people. While the woman’s yieldedness was key as a demonstration of submission, Jesus knew this wasn’t simply a self-centered strategy to obtain instant results.
8. Finally, per the prior point, the significance of ‘crumb’ cannot be understated. For a “lost sheep of Israel” (v. 24) to be so hungry for Jesus that even a mere morsel would tell us the woman saw her situation as secondary to the power and presence of God. In essence, she accepts the status of a family’s dog knowing just a crumb of Jesus would be powerful enough to defeat the demon oppressing her daughter. No question, the woman had her priorities and perspectives set straight, almost as if she had anticipated the moment in advance.
Application
Despite its short duration, the passage carries immense application and universal relatability potential. Regardless of our situations, we can all identify and empathize with the Syrophoenician woman if not at least through her adamant clinging to hope in a bleak situation. Even when we’re struggling with our identity, a love deficit, and/or challenges outside our control, even when we feel stuck in a dark place, we can approach God in humility with thanksgiving acknowledging who He is and what He can do.
For some of you, you may have a loved one, a son or daughter, burdened by a disease or satanic assignment. You may feel the target on your back and paralyzed to shake it off. If this is you, don’t work to faith and prayer; start with faith and prayer. To the Lord of grace, ask for mercy and request His appointed portion of providence. If you’re lost, don’t deny the position but receive yourself as one worth saving. Like the woman, you may be deeply conscious of the misery of the soul, but this doesn’t disqualify you from bread of life crumbs.
For others, you may not have a grim circumstance on the board, but you may be thirsty to anticipate the proximity and power of God. While we don’t know exactly how the woman learned of Jesus before His arrival, we know she put herself in position to receive Him following His arrival. Like her, you don’t have to limit your bended knee to the moment. Rather you can extend it as a general posture wherever you go. Ask yourself, ‘Do I want more of Jesus? Do I want a fresh touch of Him today?’ If the answer is ‘yes’, know whatever He decides to give is more than enough even if what He offers is partly an invitation to go deeper.
Either way, dare to believe good things will happen when you seek Jesus and ask of God according to His will.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we come before you today as we are. Heavy laden with our fears, anxieties, and insecurities, we lay them down in anticipation of what you’re going to do. Wemay feel “dogged” by life, by consequences of past decisions, by unforeseen trials and happenstances. But like Mary, we choose you ahead of any other commitment and priority in our life right now. We thank you for going before us but recognize your faithfulness before us now. For those who are hungry for you, we ask you provide something afresh to they may taste and see a new facet of your goodness. For those who don’t realize they’re hungry, guide and position them to discover the bread of life you carry. Stir in all of us an awakened passion to the wonder of you and help us to see even what we can’t control as opportunities for sharpening, pruning, and maturing. Whether or not we’re personally afflicted, we pray you prepare our hearts for inevitable testings to come and remember those who are going through tragedy, who are journeying through grief. Tend their hearts and make us sensitive to our part in nourishing them just as you are intentional in nourishing us. Whatever piece youintend to give, we receive itwith praise on our lips and gratitude in our hearts.In Jesus’ precious and holy name…
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