Rhetorical Sledge Hammers

Do you know anyone who has “tried everything” but has failed to demonstrate much success in life? Some of the obvious “everything’s” are: “I’ve tried every diet but nothing works for me”, “I exercise but nothing seems to happen”, “I just don’t have the time to (fill in the blank)” all of which are nonsense since even though a diet’s food regimen may be unrealistic, every diet works if it is adhered to; I don’t care what the ads say; 20 minutes a day 3 times a week is not going to give us ripped abs; and we always find the time for the things we really want to do. Picture a perpetual bricklayer, toiling to build a wall, and then tearing it down at the end of each day, working very hard but accomplishing nothing. The previous examples may be troublesome but they only set the tone for the truly destructive. “I’ve tried to get sober, went to rehab and 12 step programs but they don’t work”, “I’d read the Bible but how do I know who wrote it and besides it’s contradictory”, “I’ve prayed but nothing happens, so either God is punishing me, doesn‘t care or isn‘t there” are all rhetorical death traps, entire crews of perpetual bricklayers at work.

The 12 step path requires not only turning ones life and will over to the care of God but a great deal of personal commitment and effort, simple but not easy; if we begin studying anything with a fixed idea of what we will find, our fear will find a way to provide it, sabotaging the effort; and all prayers are answered in the manner they are asked. If we truly believe in God, we demonstrate it. “Faith without work is dead.” By inviting Him in and then slamming the door in His face, dialing His number and hanging up as soon as the connection is made, is it any wonder we fail to demonstrate? Surrender the yeah buts, the you don’t understands, the shoulda, coulda, wouldas, the contempt prior to investigation and all the other bulwarks of self centered fear that justifies in our consciousness using that rhetorical sledgehammer to tear down our work. Pick up the bricklayers trowel and build a relationship with God and when you find the sledge hammer in your hand, drop it immediately and reaffirm God’s love and light by practicing the Presence of God where the fear is. Soon a wonderful spiritual structure will take shape to sustain you, the sledge hammer all but forgotten.