"The sun
rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises. The
wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it
goes, ever returning on its course. All streams flow into the
sea, yet the sea is never full."
Ecclesiastes 1:5-7 (NIV)
In the 19th and
early part of the 20th century, organ grinders played a small
barrel organ. This instrument had a small crank that when turned,
music was created. The musician played this small instrument on
street corners for money. Many organ grinders owned small
monkeys. While the music man played his organ the monkey danced.
The crowds loved the dancing monkey. The small monkey wore a cute
little outfit with a hat. When his routine was over, the monkey
held out his hat. Spectators would throw coins into the monkey's
hat. The organ grinder hoped that the monkey's dance would be
profitable. Sometimes the organ grinder attached a rope or a
chain to the monkey so that he could not escape. The chain was
around the small animal's neck and the owner held part of the
chain. It feels like we are dancing monkeys at times...going
through rituals and routines with very little satisfaction. We
can learn a few lessons from a dancing monkey.
First lesson from a
dancing monkey is hard work.
"I
denied myself nothing my eyes desire; I refused my heart no
pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the
reward for all my work, and this was the reward for all my labour.
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had
toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the
wind; nothing was gained under the sun."
Ecclesiastes
2:10-11(NIV)
You wake up in
the morning to the sound of an alarm, shave, shower and get
dressed. You drink that wonderful coffee. We need that liquid to
get us alert. You then get in the car and drive to that
destination you hate: work! At work you punch that dreaded
machine, the time clock, and it is at this moment that you are
owned. Those six or nine hours that you spend at work belong to
someone else. You do chores you do not like, and never quite get
the satisfaction that you deserve. Even if you are the boss life
is never perfect. There are people to deal with, reports to be
typed and finances that need to be raised. You feel like you are
a dancing monkey. Someone is pulling at your leather leash.
Dancing to a tune you do not enjoy for a few coins that are
thrown to you at the end of the week.
Do you remember
your first job? You could hardly wait for it to start. You
started marking the days off on your calendar. Finally the day
arrives for you to start your first job. You have a great sense
of pride. Your new employer shows you around the company. Wow!
I cannot believe that I got this job. Then you start this amazing
opportunity. Within a couple of hours you realize how slow the
company clock moves. Before your shift ends you meet several
cranky customers, and a boss that is never satisfied with your
work. The greatest time of your day finally arrives. Quitting
time!!! After days of this routine your favorite day is finally
here...pay day. You look at your pay cheque and are
disappointed. You never thought about taxes. Work is no longer
fun anymore. It's a chore. It is at this exact phase that you
have become a dancing monkey.
You were not
created to be a dancing monkey. You are not working for a
heartless employer that yells "Dance money and dance". You are
working for God. When you work for his kingdom your load will be
a lot lighter and job a lot more enjoyable. We must fill our
hearts and minds with God's goodness and grace. He will be with
you through the toughest days of work. He will give your life
purpose and meaning.
Second lesson from a
dancing monkey is times of sorrow.
Remember
your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble
come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure
in them"-before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars
grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain...
Ecclesiastes 12:1-2(NIV)
Have you ever
had a loved one die? It is hard to function after their death.
All those hobbies, activities, and special moments only bring you
sadness. The sky does not seem as blue and the grass not as
green. Our every day activities become a blur. There is a hole
in your heart that cannot be filled. You are lost in a dark
cave. You try different paths but cannot find your way out. You
wonder if the sun will ever shine again. Will life have that same
flavour that it once did? You are like a dancing monkey with his
head down, dancing in circles.
Life is hard.
Every day that we live has struggles and pressures. We try to be
strong and keep the ceiling from caving in on our heads. Oh
no!!! Cracks start to appear on the ceiling and you can see it
sagging. You find large posts to support the weight. You place
the supports under the ceiling. Crack! The posts broke...they
cannot handle all the pressure. What will support all my daily
pressures? We need a hero to swoop in and save the day. You move
your feet because you're afraid of getting squashed by the daily
pressure. Your load is too much! You dance only to keep you from
crying.
God wants to
give you freedom. He wants to lighten your load. He wants all of
your stresses. He wants you to feel that wind in your hair and
that excitement for life. God wants to hear about all those dark
times in your life. He wants to lift you up from your slimy pit.
He wants you to enjoy all the beauty in life. It may surprise you
how much God cares for you. You are always on His mind. With His
help you can overcome any obstacle that life hurls at you.
Third lesson from a
dancing monkey is boredom.
"What
has been will be again, what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which
one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already,
long ago; it was here before our time."
Ecclesiastes 1:9-10(NIV)
Everyday you
wave at the same neighbours, drive in the same old car and eat
supper in front of the same old television. Every day is the same
routine. No days are different. You live your life half awake.
It is easy to sleep walk your way through life. Everything is so
familiar that you do not have to be fully awake in order to get
your duties done. You know what to do blindfolded and walking
backwards. You have done everything one million times before.
There is nothing to startle or amaze you. Life is nothing more
than a routine series of chores and habits. The weather never
changes, and nothing will keep you fully awake. You dance that
same foolish dance that your grandfather, father and now you
dance. Shhhhh....the monkey has gone to sleep.
It is hard to
try something new. We worry about how we will be accepted. We
avoid clubs and activities at the church because that is not our
gift or ability. It is easier to do things that we know. So we
stick to that same miserable routine because we are afraid of new
challenges. Fear has made us a prisoner. I can see you tremble.
We look through our prison bars of fear and hope to be released.
Always looking out the window at the baseball game instead of
playing. You feel like a monkey that reached the end of his
leash. You can feel that leash cutting into your neck. You
stretched beyond the length of the leash.
With God in
charge you will never see the end of your leash. Your
possibilities are unlimited. He believes in you. He wants you to
enjoy His creation: sunrises, sunsets and the beauty of nature
all around us. He does not want your life to be a dull routine.
He wants your eyes to sparkle. When was the last time you had
fun? Joy should be a main ingredient in a Christian life. You
will dance to a new tune. You want to dance because of the
freedom God has given you. Do you want to dance?
Conclusion
God has removed
the chain from around your neck. You want to dance. Not because
of fear but joy for all God has given you.