On Boys, Bulldozers and Sailboats

I remember many years ago playing in the sandbox with my brothers. I had gotten a new bulldozer. For a little boy, there are few things more awesome than bulldozers. By any measure, there is very little building. Quite the opposite. We'd set up little sand hills, and even makeshift structures with twigs, so we could mow them down. Hours on end.  “RRUUMBLE SCRUNCH SCRUUMBLE” (official bulldozer sound). That's what bulldozers do. That's what little boys do.

Years later, I was amused how this innately male, bulldozer charism found its way into larger boys, and larger sandboxes. Various friends who owned bulldozer-like machines. Purportedly for “work”, though at times you couldn’t distinguish it from play.

Perpetuating confusion between work and play is a distinctly male vice; allowing men to think they’ve succeeded is a woman’s.

So, why do women allow it? Behold! Feminine Genius! They’re gaining points for being supportive, evoking empathy for yet another hour of sacrificial solo-parenting, while enjoying the first moment of the day little Billy isn’t using his sister as a tackle dummy, or destroying something, or placing himself in imminent peril. He’s under the spell of that amazing Thing, nose pressed hard against the window. As a result, clothes remain folded. Toys, put away. All the kids, happy.

So if you want perfect marital and family bliss, forget saving for any other thing. A bulldozer is the thing. It’s win-win-win.

Seriously though, for the underprivileged masses like myself not able to afford a bulldozer, and not inclined to riot on account of the government’s failure to deliver us from such poverty, we have power tools. We men are hardwired by God with a raw, get-in-there, get-it-done, Kingdom building sensibility.

We men do need to recognize immediate threats that demand we move mounds of "dirt." We need to bulldoze dilapidated "structures." With loving vigilance we need to face the giants of this day who threaten our homes with toxic ideas. We need to speak and act with the heart of Christ, without fear of reprisal. Without fear of what people think. Without fear of consequences. Whether we think we're good at it or not. When we men are confronted with ungodly things within us, in our marriages, families, work and world... often we need to bulldoze.

And for the many of us men in the game, increasingly I’ve become aware that we need greater sophistication than just the bulldozer. We need more than clear purpose, sheer power and a will do use it. We may have the best of intentions, without availing to God, without letting Him lead, we run the risk of actually bulldozing Him.

If we're merely about doing good things, it's likely we're doing our things in His Name. Jesus suggested as much when He said something like: "Many will come in my name saying, 'Lord, Lord... look at all this awesome stuff we've done! We fulfilled all our religious obligations! We read holy books and went to conferences! We even healed the sick and raised the dead....'" All that, only to hear Him say, "Depart from me! I never knew you!" (Matt. 7:22)

This has always challenged me. Even troubled me. After all, do we not want people to do good, regardless of motive? How many of us would give anything for so many more to get in the game? Of course we do! But is any number of people doing good what it’s all about? If it is, why bother going to church, or pray, when we could just work at a soup kitchen?

Here's the thing: If God is out of the picture, how is it not about us? How is it not using Him for our own glory?

This underscores what happened with the Tower of Babel. After the Big Flood, Noah’s progeny were united, and more than a little amused with their power. On the surface they purported to build a mighty tower to God; under the hood they were purporting to be God. The tower was really a monument to themselves. An icon of arrogance. And we know what happened. God wasn't happy. He didn't want their presumption; He wanted to be their Lord. Their mighty tower came crashing down. As did humanity. Splintered into so many languages.

Self-ingratiating pride leads to unholy disunion. The only remedy is self-sacrificing humility of Jesus Christ drawing us into Holy Communion.

Discipleship of Jesus Christ is far more than being little “good-doers.” It's a total surrender. God wants relationship with us. He desires intimacy. He wants us to rend our hearts, not our garments (Joel 2:13). He wants sons and daughters who recognize who we are in Him. Conscious of Him. Seeking Him. Loving Him.

It’s all the difference between our doing, and God doing through us.

So, among those in our missioned community we're aware of our temptation to merely act on our God-given capabilities. We’re aware that our relationship with God must be foundational. We must be more of a sailboat than a bulldozer. We must raise our sails, that is our souls constantly in prayer, availing our lives to God… awaiting His Breath of life to flood our sails, to move us forward. His direction. His time. His way.

Lord Jesus Christ, from the heart of the Father, in the power of the Holy Spirit, let it be.