That little beast is us

Hey, guys hope you all had a restful weekend.

This morning when I was thinking about what to write on, I was reminded of something I came across in this book I’m currently reading called He Chose the Nails by Max Lucado. In the second chapter the writer beautifully draws a parallel between the characters of a popular fairytale, Beauty and the Beast, alongside Jesus (being the beauty) and Man (or humanity being the Beast).

Here are two excerpts from the book and then I’ll get to the point I want to talk about today:

“What would have happened to the Beast if the Beauty hadn’t appeared?

You know the story. There was a time when his face was handsome and his palace pleasant. But that was before the curse, before the shadows fell on the castle of the prince, before the shadows fell on the heart of the prince. And when darkness fell, he hid. Secluded in his castle, he was left with glistening snout and curly tusks and a bad mood.

But all that changed when the girl came. I wonder, what would have happened to the Beast if the Beauty hadn’t appeared?”

Are you able to see where the writer is going with this? He explains this further:

“The story’s familiar, not just because it’s a fairy tale. It’s familiar because it reminds us of ourselves. There is a beast within each of us.

It wasn’t always so. There was a time when humanity’s face was beautiful and the palace pleasant. But that was before the curse, before the shadow fell across the garden of Adam, before the shadow fell across the heart of Adam. And ever since the curse, we’ve been different. Beastly. Ugly. Defiant. Angry. We do things we know we shouldn’t do and wonder why we did them.”

Does the last line sound familiar to you? The apostle Paul share’s the same struggle in Romans 7:15, “I do not do what I want to do, and I do the things I hate.” I believe most of us can relate to this scripture as well.

This is why I believe David writes in Psalm 139:23-24 (AMP):

 “Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!

And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

So many times this has been my prayer. The most dangerous trap we can fall in is the trap of “being self-righteous”. Even though redeemed there are times we still trip and fall. But God is rich in love, slow to anger and abounding in mercy and loving-kindness (Psalm 103:8). And if we confess our sins before Him, He is faithful and forgives us of our sins and purifies us of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). The life of a believer is a constant cycle of learning. Every storm we face comes with a lesson and here’s what I see; Firstly, it shows us how incapable and dependent we are on God; Secondly, how faithful and full of grace is He who rescues us.

Similarly, it is He who helps us to walk in the right way and we can never boast about doing it on our own.

As disciples of Christ we are called to walk like Jesus in love, mercy, righteousness, forgiveness, humility and submissiveness to our Heavenly Father but many a times our flesh gets in the way.

We all have a little beast inside of us that tries to make way and show itself from time to time. It may not be a giant devil with horns and a trident but it sure can be tiny like Tinkerbelle. It can show itself in a snarky remark we make at a co-worker, in a little road rage while driving, in an impulse to subtle glorify our deeds in church without seeming “self-righteous” or in  passing of a hurtful comment at a struggling youth. Are you reminded of something like this that you may have fallen to do? I know I have.

This is where I thank the Lord for His Holy Spirit that immediately convicts my heart and reminds me of my mistakes. As you submit this beastly part of you to the Holy Spirit He starts to make you alert in your spirit; so as soon as thoughts like these start to originate within you, He’s like, “Uh…That’s not right”. His conviction hits even before you make a mess of your account which you have to give to God one day.

Isn’t the Holy Spirit amazing? I believe we all need help in this department of “thought” and “speech” and I personally think it’s good to pray everyday like David prayed in Psalm 139:23-24, Search me, O Lord…..See if there is wickedness in me…..And lead me in the way everlasting…. 

Oh how I long to walk in the way everlasting….and I am sure you do too.

Another scripture that convicts me is Matthew 12:34 “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”. All the more reason to pray like David, don’t you think?

It’s easy to point at the beast in someone else’s life? When was the last time you checked within yourself?

I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

~Sharon