American Dream?
Sand Castle by caitlinator on Flickr
I love music and a lot of what I listen to often makes me think. I can listen to a song one day and it’s good. I enjoy it. I can hear the same song another day, in another frame of mind, and it smacks me.
Casting Crowns’ “American Dream” did that to me the other day. I don’t believe I’m living that song. I don’t believe my husband is either for that matter. But it gives a really good (and hard) message to those who are chasing the American dream (which, honestly, wouldn’t that be all of us?)
At least part of the song is based on Matthew 7:24-27. This is last part of the “Sermon on the Mount.” Jesus has just chosen the disciples, a large crowd has gathered and he starts teaching them, beginning with the Beatitudes (Matthew 5). He closes by telling the listeners that whoever hears what He’s saying and puts it into practice is like a builder who built his house on a rock. Whoever does not hear or does not put His words into practice is like a foolish builder who built his house on sand. When rains come and wind blows, the house built on the rock stands because it has a firm foundation. The house built on sand? Yeah, it’s toast. It’s gone. “It fell with a great crash.”
The song tells the story of a man who is determined to give his family the finer things in life. He works long hours trying to build it himself. As a result of all that work, he misses things that are important to his wife and son and eventually loses them – the whole reason he was working so hard to begin with. He tells himself and his wife that things will get better, “we just need more time.” The last few words of the song are, “All they really wanted was you.” And that’s just it. A mom or dad can work hard to provide their family with “the finer things in life” but, you know what? All your child wants is you. All your spouse wants is you.
“He works and he builds with his own two hands.”
We often try to build our life all by ourselves and that’s our first mistake. We can’t do it on our own. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord…” (Jeremiah 29:11). “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord…” (Psalm 37:23). “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9). “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
“He pours all he has in a castle made of sand.”
Our foundation is often unsteady, like shifting sand, or nonexistent. That’s our second mistake. We need God. And when we let Him in and when we trust Him, our house is built on the Rock. Yes, trials and hardships come. That’s life. But those trials and hardships don’t destroy us because we have faith that God will help us through whatever comes our way.
Sounds easy, doesn’t it? But I’m sure you know it’s not.
It’s hard to have faith that things will work out when your newborn is in the hospital and doctors are convinced she won’t survive, much less thrive. It’s hard to have faith that things will work out when you have no job and money is, essentially, nonexistent and bills are coming in and the car has broken down. Again. It’s hard to have faith that things will work out when your spouse of almost 20 years comes home one day and wants a divorce for reasons that, to you, are vague and sound nothing like the person you thought you knew. It’s hard to have faith that things will work out when all you’ve known is a world of drug abuse and dysfunctional relationships – trying desperately to become free from it, to get your life together, but things just… Keep. Falling. Apart.
It’s hard.
But it’s at EXACTLY those times that we have to lean the hardest on God. It’s these trials that can make our relationship with God even stronger. It’s these trials that can make us and our relationships with others stronger.
It’s the trial of having a child with disabilities that prompts parents to become advocates for the disabled. It’s the trial of losing your job that prompts you to try other fields or to learn ways to stretch a dollar that you never imagined possible. It’s the trial of divorce that prompts you to step out and grow. It’s the trial of getting back on your feet and out of a world of dysfunction that makes you a stronger person who is then able to help others get out and get up.
It works out. Maybe not the way we wanted it to or the way we envisioned it. But it works out.
The newborn mentioned above was my daughter. She’s now 7 and shows absolutely no signs of ever having any birth trauma. And you know what? Even if she hadn’t survived or even if she did have all the things wrong with her that doctors said she should have had… I feel certain. We’d be okay.
What got us through it? God. Plain and simple. If my husband and I hadn’t had a relationship with Him to begin with, I’m not sure what would’ve happened. As a result of that trial, our relationship with God was strengthened and our relationship with each other was strengthened.
“I’ll take a shack on the rock over a castle in the sand”
There’s nothing wrong with having the finer things in life. But we have to keep perspective. What good are the finer things in life if you lose your family in the process? What good are the finer things in life if you lose your soul? Yeah, sure, go out and party and indulge – eat, drink and be merry. But when it’s all said and done, would you truly – honestly – be happy? Or complete? Would you have any real support should a hardship come?
Build your house on the rock. We can’t do it on our own.
What’s your story? Has there been a time in your life when you definitely saw/felt God at work? Has there been a time when you weren’t sure He was there, but looking back, you can now see that He was? Anything where you felt or still feel He wasn’t there? Leave a comment and let me know.
