Stuck

Today, I stopped and noticed a fly, dried up and clinging hopefully to my window screen. Usually, the bottom window track is the place to catch fly parts, but this death was unusual and I took notice. What happened here? While it seems reasonable that the fly tried to exit through the screen, why did it stay there to the point of death? Did it get stuck trying to push through those tiny holes?  Did it believe it had found the way out, and just hoped for the next breeze to push him through? How had his sense of direction misled him so poorly? He was foiled and stuck by the very boundary designed to keep him on the other side, safe in the outdoors. 

Have you ever been stuck by the very boundaries created to keep you safe, protected, and whole?  

While my ego prompts me to believe that I’m smarter than a housefly, there are times my behavior seems no different. I find myself clinging to habits and routines that are well past their usefulness. And like the fly, I’m banging my head up against a screen instead of flying out the open door of freedom three feet away. 

Proverbs 3 says:

Dear friend, guard Clear Thinking and Common Sense with your life;

    don’t for a minute lose sight of them.

They’ll keep your soul alive and well,

    they’ll keep you fit and attractive.

You’ll travel safely,

    you’ll neither tire nor trip.

Most foolish behavior gets cleared up right quick with a good dose of clear thinking or common sense. I love the picture this proverb paints of how wisdom looks. I want to travel safely! I want to be alive and well! I want to be fit, attractive, and tireless on my journey. 

My prayer with you this week is this proverb. May we protect clear thinking over the comfortable routine. May we honor common sense over the demands of our ego, and may wisdom grow deeper roots in our souls, keeping us alive, attractive, and safe on the journey. 

With hope, 
Nikki