Food for Thought
Caught between a Rock
and a Hard Place
by David Churchill
Caught
between a rock and a hard place. A common figure
of speech we usually use to express our feeling about a difficult
choice with uncomfortable options or to describe the many uncomfortable
dilemmas of life in which a person seems to have no practical
options except to simply endure the situation. I thought
I understood what caught between a rock and a hard place
meant until one night I was watching a television news program
about a man who really understood its meaning.
The man (I dont recall
his name, just that he lived in Colorado) decided to take
an unexpected camping trip. During the trip while in a
remote wilderness area in Utah, he decided on the spur of the
moment to go climbing in a narrow canyon crevasse. He was
an experienced skillful climber full of the confident energy
and strength of youth. And it would only be a day-trip
away from his vehicle... leave in the morning and be back by
nightfall. But he made four very serious mistakes and he
was fortunate to live through his adventure in spite of them.
And he admitted himself they were stupid mistakes and he knew
better than to make them. Mistake #1 was that he
did not tell anyone where he was going, or even that he would
be going out-of-town, let alone hiking in another state. Mistake
#2 was that he didnt make his usual preparations to
allow for a longer stay away from his vehicle or for emergencies,
even though he would be traveling on foot in rugged terrain in
a remote place.
Anyway, as this man was climbing
and hiking along the mountain crevasse, he came to the place
where he made his mistake #3 he didnt double-check
for secure footing. An 800-pound boulder was partially
blocking an extra narrow space between the canyon walls. Climbing
over seemed suitable, so he hitched himself up and over the boulder.
But as he was lowering himself down the other side, the
boulder tumbled loose and pinned his hand & forearm against
the canyon wall. For five days he contemplated what he
had to do. For five days he tried to free himself from his terrifying
predicament, chipping at the boulder with his penknife and rationing
his one-days supply of food and water until it was gone
but he was still literally caught between a rock and a
hard place, and his strength was almost gone.
On the sixth day, he summoned up
all his courage to make the sacrifice he had to make while he
still had any strength to do it. He used the penknife,
now damaged and dull from his chipping at the boulder, to slowly
cut away at his pinned arm and then managed to break the bone
enough to free himself from his trap. (About that time
I had to leave for an appointment. I didnt hear how
he climbed up out of the canyon and down the mountain or if someone
found him along the way.)
Think about this terrifying situation.
The man was as good as dead. His arm was damaged
beyond repair it was dying and he was dying with it. To
get back his life, he must be willing to lose that arm and act
accordingly ... even if that meant his cutting it off himself
or letting someone else help him cut it off.
That fortunate adventurer understands
now better than anyone else what caught between a rock
and a hard place really means. We could learn
a lot from his experience ... and from his mistakes. Lord
willing, well consider them further in another article.
For now, his experience reminds me of something Jesus said
at least two different times.
If your hand or foot causes you to sin,
cut it off and cast it from you,
we read Jesus advice in Matthew 18:8 & 9. It is better for you
to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands
or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And
if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from
you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather
than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire. The parallel passage of
this occasion is Mark 9:43-47, but a different occasion with
similar advice is found in Matthew 5:27-30.
Jesus, in a colorful way, is plainly
saying that sin does much more than simply hurt people...
it traps people in places they really dont want
to stay. The man we discussed was more than just physically
injured by his mistakes ... his sins against sensible climbing.
As long as he tried to keep his arm in his life, he was
trapped and dead instead of alive. He truly gained back
his physical life when he believed the truth about his situation
and willingly gave up part of himself. It was his only
real option for life. Likewise sinners are more than
just spiritually injured by sins trapping parts of their lives
... their mistakes against God. They are spiritually
dead until they willingly are cut free from their trap.
It is their only real option for spiritual life. Mark
chapter 9 words this thought as their only real option to enter
the kingdom of God ... as opposed to fiery eternal suffering.
Jesus is willing to help us overcome
the deadly embrace of sin, but at the same time we must be willing
to leave behind our attachment to sin and to let Him cut something
out of our lives. Physically speaking, that climbers
right arm was important and precious to him, but he had to leave
it behind if he was going to leave the trap behind. Spiritually
speaking, while we as sinners seek the kingdom and life of God,
some activities and interests important to us will continue keeping
us in sins firm grasp until we realize the truth and have
ourselves cut free from that grasp.
Now suppose that young man went
back to where he had been trapped and pulled on that boulder
or another so it fell on him. Wouldnt he become just
as dead as if he had never survived the first time. As
Christians, if we convince ourselves that it is ok to return
to our entrapment by sin, Jesus warns us in John 15:1-11 and
Paul warns us in Romans 11:17-22 of another cutting off that
will happen ... a cutting off that separates us from Him. Abide in Me, Jesus encourages his disciples
and us in John 15:4 & 5, and I in you. As the branch cannot
bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can
you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the
branches. He who abides in Me,
and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can
do nothing.
If anyone does not abide in Me, He then cautions in verses 6-8,
he
is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them
and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide
in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for
you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much
fruit; so you will be My disciples.
Oh,
before I forget our young climbers mistake #4
was that he went alone without any friends or companions along
who could have helped and comforted him. As Christians,
we dont have to face our problems alone... we have God
to help us and we have each other.
Jesus is willing to free us from
sins entrapment. Are you willing to let Him help
you, no matter what you must leave behind in the process? |