I had another dream last night. I was speaking at a church that was not my own. They had two pastors, an established senior pastor and a much younger associate. It appeared to me that the senior pastor’s wife was doing little things to put the associate “in his place” and that there was tension that had been ongoing for quite some time. The “last straw” for the associate was when the pastor’s wife gave this young man something to put on his podium that she had made. Now that doesn’t sound so bad, but it was hokey and he clearly felt humiliated by it. It was clear that by now there was a pattern of offense so deep that the young man was ready to rebel. I felt for the guy, but I also knew he needed perspective.
I took him over to a window and pointed to some horses grazing on a little hill nearby. I said “Imagine you’re in a battle. Your army could really use those horses but they’re well protected and you don’t really need them. To go after them is near certain death. You’re leading the charge.” In the distance was a tall mountain. Pointing to the mountain, I said, “that mountain over there is your objective. It too is heavily guarded, but if you make it to the top, victory is certain. It would be nice to have the horses but the risk is high. Take that hill and you may never reach your goal. Which hill do you want to die on?” Then I said, “You can do battle over your offense if you want to, you might even win it, but the distant hill, that’s where the real victory is. That’s where souls get saved and where people’s lives will be changed. Which hill do you want to die on?” He took the decoration and put it on his podium, made a self-deprecating comment with a big smile on his face and that’s when I woke up.
Now you might think that story is oversimplified, especially if you’re deep in offense, but consider our Lord. His earthly life was a near constant battle with people who were trying to put Him in His place. The thing is they didn’t even know His place, but He did. His place was on the throne ruling the universe. Still He pressed on, on toward the hill where victory was. That was His objective. That was where humanity would be saved. That’s where His Father’s will would be done. That was the hill He would die on. He dealt with offense all along the way but He kept His eye on the prize and pressed on. We must do the same.
Pick your hill.
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