Acts 17:22-31
Psalm 148
1 Peter 3:8-18
John 15:1-8
"I can do it myself!"
How many of us hear that phrase - and remember those times when our children first pushed us aside with that stubborn indignation - and took those first steps on that long journey toward adulthood and independence.
"Johanna, I can do it myself!" Now that particular refrain takes me back to the first time our niece Tina came to live with us. She was five then. And her passion was watching The Never Ending Story - over and over and over again.
After about three days of this, Cedar and I decided that like it or not, it was time for Tina to learn that there really was something more to life. So we encouraged her to begin exploring the outdoors. I took her outside and introduced her to the spring flowers, and to rocks and toads; and we listened to the birds sing and felt the breeze on our skin.
She didn't really seem particularly interested, but did appear to be humoring me. So as soon as I went back inside, after suggesting that perhaps she could find some pretty rocks to show us, she bounded right back into the house and resumed her perch in front of the television set.
After several more futile attempts to lure her outdoors, we finally decided it was time for some tough love. So we took her outside with the kitchen timer set for 15 minutes and told her that she was not allowed to come back in the house until the timer went off.
I think that was the longest 15 minutes I've ever endured. The entire time, Tina sat on the back steps, wailing and sobbing as though her heart was completely broken.
But before long she was spending more and more time outside. She'd come flying back into the house with exciting news about new flowers blooming or how high she could climb in the apple tree now.
So when it came time to put in the garden that year, Tina was the first one in the car to go and get the seeds and sets. She was going to grow watermelons. Dozens of watermelons...enough watermelons to share with everyone she knew and loved. And she would have none of the already started sets. She was going to start them from seed so they would be entirely hers.
Now anyone who's done any gardening up here in the north country knows that growing watermelons during our short growing season is a bit tricky. So I was prepared to help with a few tips I'd learned over the years. When I began to give her some sage advice, out came those determined words..."Johanna, I can do it by myself!"
The little girl we practically had to shove out the door was ready to move out on her own. So we stepped back and let her plant her seeds - too deep - without mounding the dirt into a hill ..and you've guessed it. Her dream of dozens of huge round, luscious watermelons did not materialize that summer.
Today Tina's 18 - just as strong-willed now as she was then. And over the years we've heard just about every variation you might imagine on the theme of - "I'll do it myself!"
We're all a little like that aren't we? We want to do it ourselves. Our culture admires that kind of independence. We all grew up on stories of legendary heroes like Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett who emulate those ideals of rugged individualism that we're sure made our country strong. We have a sneaking suspicion that to lean on someone else - or to accept help would reveal that we are somehow weak and inferior. So we take care of our own; we don't accept charity; and we pride ourselves on our self-reliance. We don't ask for help; we certainly don't let anyone know when we hurt; and no matter what, we carry on with a stiff upper lip.
After all - God helps those who help themselves - isn't that right? But Jesus says to abide in him....that we are to abide in him as he abides in us so that we can bear much fruit. Now - what does that mean?
Aren't we supposed to take care of ourselves, solve our own problems, and be responsible for our own behavior? We're to pray to God and ask God's blessings - and then, roll up our sleeves, get to work and make something out of the life that God gave us.
Oh to be sure, we're to help out others: you know, the poor and the weak and the sick; those who are oppressed or in prison. But surely we shouldn't be in need of any such help ourselves. And we shouldn't be bothering God about all those things we are perfectly capable of taking care of. After all, we know that God has more important things to do.
We are a strong, independent and self-sufficient people in this country. We can take care of whatever comes our way.
We can take care of the drug problem in this country. God has blessed us, and now has more important things to do
We can clean up our lakes and rivers and streams so that our fish can survive. God has given us this great land to take care of, and now has more important things to do.
We can protect our children and ensure that they are not being molested or neglected or beaten. God has given us all the wisdom we need, and now has more important things to do.
We can keep our country safe from terrorism and the horrors of another September 11th. God has put us in charge of the greatest country on this earth, and now has more important things to do.
We can eliminate crime in our towns and our cities. God has more important things to do.
We can do it ourselves....because God has more important things to do.
Jesus says, "Abide in me even as I abide in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit in its own strength, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in me."
You know, we've been doing it by ourselves for a very long time now. Don't you think maybe it's time to take it all to Jesus and let him show us how it's done?
AMEN.