Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.
There is an old saying that goes something like this: “If the camel gets his nose in the tent, the rest of him is soon to follow.”
The mental image this creates in my mind seems funny to me. The lonely camel wanting to be inside the tent with his master. It is cold outside, and nice and warm in the tent. Somehow he gets his nose under the tent flap and is able to wiggle it in just a little. Later, his whole head is in the tent. While the camel’s head is small enough, the rest of the camel is not. By the time he has wiggled his whole body into the tent, all the tent pegs are dangling from their strings. The tent is now little more than a blanket on the back of the camel.
The story is a great metaphor for many things. How many bad habits start with something small and innocuous? Only later do they take over a person’s whole life and destroy it. How many people are in debt over their heads because they allowed themselves to get a credit card? The little plastic card seems so innocent, and yet it can lead to uncontrolled spending and enslavement to debt.
But these are all examples of bad things that happen. What about good? Does the camel ever represent something good happening? If we tweak the metaphor a bit we can illustrate today’s verse in a new light.
Let’s change the camel a bit. Instead of a stinky old desert camel, let’s make our camel smart, warm, nice smelling, and a good listener. Besides he tells great jokes and sings like an angel. Instead of trying to keep the camel out, people try and get the camel to come in because life is better with the camel around.
Now let’s imagine that the only way to let the camel in is under the tent flap. It is too big for the door, so it has to make its own way in. When the camel comes, people don’t mind, because life with this camel is better.
In a weird sort of way, accepting God into our life is kind of like letting this nice, wonderful camel into our tent. There is no way that God should be able to fit into our world. It shouldn’t be possible that He can come inside us. The entire universe, galaxy upon galaxy is no bigger than a jelly bean to God. And yet, God became man, and this man, Jesus, became our friend. Now risen from the grave, he offers us Himself through his Word and his Holy Spirit. Once the nose of the camel is in our life, the rest of God follows, and before we know it we have been filled with new life.
Let’s Discuss: How would you describe the impact of having God in your life?
This has to be the strangest post yet lol… I enjoyed it 😆
I would describe it as the consistent and patient guidance of a kind teacher who is showing me how to paint (I had a wonderful art teacher in 8th grade who came to mind as a good example of this).
Nathan,
I’m glad you can enjoy the strange side of my mind. 🙂
I appreciate you sharing your memory of art class, too.
A note about the strangeness of the post: I am inclined to think that coming at the Bible in new ways (or strange ways) is a good thing. It is like the clock that I wrote about in “Blessed” a few days back. If we are not careful, these words God has given us can be taken for granted. I don’t think He wants us to do that.
That is a big question! God is everything. He is life and bread and living water and light and love and the resurrection. I probably have no idea the total impact of having God in my life. But it is a good thing to reflect upon.
Hi Rich,
Thank you! It is a big question. 🙂 I am left wondering though; am I unconsciously holding the tent flap down trying to keep my world under my control? Letting God in, really letting God in means letting go at a very fundamental level. My prayer for all of us is that we can let go of the tent pegs so God can fully enter in.
I’m a guy that has been in a Christian home for all my life. I wasn’t necessarily a Christian until I was about 7, but Christianity and God has always been a big part of my life. Sometimes I find it easy to forget how amazing it is that God is in my life because I have not known anything but a God-filled, Christian environment. Every once in a while, being able to step back and be grateful for what God has done in my life (and to recognize what it would be like without Him), is a great recalibration for my view on life.
Hi J Glasgow!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts today. I like your word, “recalibration.” That is very insightful. Our minds are calibrated for dealing with the things around us every day. The people we know, the buildings we use, the ground we walk on. Even the sky and clouds and sun are part of what we are “normally” calibrated for. When God enters our life, everything else is suddenly insignificant. If we can recalibrate our hearts, minds and souls to adjust to our God, then all of the things that used to be a big problem in life suddenly become rather tiny and insignificant by comparison.
Great to read everyone’s comments. I have to agree this was interesting and I really enjoyed it. I’ve heard this analogy before though I’ve never heard it used for something/someone we might want to invite in. What an interesting spin to put on this. I would have to respond akin to Rich; I have no idea the impact, but it’s certainly worthwhile to reflect upon. Letting go at a fundamental level is key as you say and sometimes there is a lot of other stuff in our tents that are vying for space. So I see this as a constant process of gate-keeping in managing both what which we are inviting in and that which we want to keep out. At a fundamental level I have to want God in my life and in control of it, and when I do then I know a part of what I am to do in his strength is attempt my best at keeping these smelly camels at bay.
NMOP3PISdn,
Thanks for sharing! You point out something very important: There is a lot of other stuff in our tents vying for space. I think a big part of the process we call “sanctification” is confronting each piece of stuff individually and making a choice; stuff or Jesus? As we continue to choose Jesus, he fills up more and more of our lives. The more we let Jesus in, the more he can bless us with His peace.