For many this well known nursery rhyme describes their lives or at least their understanding of their lives. They perceive themselves to be Humpty Dumpties. They are convinced that their life is in total absolute shamble, broken beyond repair with no one or way it can be put back together. They cannot even imagine that it is possible for their life to be whole, having meaning, significance or purpose.
These feelings are intensified with the victim mentality in our society. The obvious fact that our upbringing and life environment impacts who we are is unfortunately elevated to the belief that we are mere victims of these factors, forever shaped by them. There is nothing to do but make a heroic attempt to keep a few things under control and together.
Whether by a conscious decision or an fatalistic acceptance of this many believe their life is cast, unchangeable, irreversible. We have accepted we are who you are…
Upon these sands Jesus comes walking along, stopping looking us in the eye and with uncompromising compassion and grace-filled power invites us to: “Follow me and I will make you become…” (Mark 1:17 – see 16-20)
We are startled at first. We are not sure we have really heard Him correctly. His words are powerful and creative. They speak hope and possibility. They are creative words denoting the re-creating of our broken shattered lives into beautiful poetry or a works of art. The words are woven together literally speaking momentary work along with a continue process. The words and possibility ring in our ears: “Follow me and you will be my work of art; I will re-create you and make you become…” (paraphrase of verse 17).
Can it be that there is someone who can put Humpty Dumpty back together again? Can it be that our lives can be made whole, useful, worthwhile having significance and purpose? Can it be that we can be holy? The words reverberate again; “follow me and I will make you become…” Yes there is someone who can re-create Humpty Dumpty. Not simply put him back together again, but re-create him into a new person. He can be a “new creation, the old done away, all becomes new” (2 Corinthians 5:17), “God’s workmanship [God’s work of art], created in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:10). Jesus’ words reaffirmingly proclaim “good news to the poor, freedom for the prisoners, sight for the blind, release for the oppressed” (Luke 4:18). He is inviting, beckoning, compassionately commanding; “follow me and I will make you become…” He will pattern us after the Father’s will, making us holy, complete and in His imagine – the image we were originally created to have. We can trust Him for He will make us what we are to be. Our true self is found only in Him.
If we are to experience such re-creation we must follow Him, but what does that involve? Simply stated it involves faith; a faith that reveals itself through action.
To follow Jesus we must release the past. Let go of the family nets. Drop the unnecessary hurtful factors as well as the good wholesome events into His hands. Allow Him to make the restrictive and destructive things in our lives into tools for His handiwork. Walk with Him allowing Him to teach and transform us by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). We leave it all to follow Him. We daily choose Him and by His grace refuse to allow anything other than Him determine who and what we are. We allow Him to be the potter (Jeremiah 18:1-6).
Richard Foster states it well; “Any gospel that fails to lead us into that experience by which our lives are increasingly taken over by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control is half a gospel. Any gospel that so focuses upon the future heaven that it leaves people firmly rooted in harshness, bitterness, and despair is half a gospel.” Jesus did not proclaim such a gospel – “follow me and I will make you become…”
Beloved, let us follow Jesus allowing Him to make us become…
Keep Close to Jesus
Pastor Gerry