In Guatemala, when you can't afford a security system for your home, you hire an armed guard. A man of 5 feet in stature and about 120 pounds will do. He can hold an outdated sawed off shot gun and protect you from harm. If you can't afford that you can go with razor wire or barbed wire to keep intruders at bay. In the village people go a few steps cheaper and much more clever. They put down a layer of wet cement and one by one place shards of broken glass around the perimeter of their home.
Imagine jumping the fence and reaching for broken shards of a glass Pepsi bottle. Pretty clever when you can't afford an ADT security system.
The house next to Proximos Pasos Girls School uses said security measures to protect their house. I always imagine a crazy party with guests taking turns throwing down bottles to the beat of party music to get the pieces you need. Anyway....yesterday I was looking out the window from our third story window during recess and I took the photo above. Upon closer inspection I saw the following:
A sweet lil' bird landed on the sharp broken glass. These birds are everywhere. I know because a family of them live in the bushes next to my house and almost daily leave their calling card on the driver side door of my car...a la the "wet bandits" from Home Alone.
Back to the story- I was captivated watching this small bird perched on what he found to be a safe landing place. With Mayan girls and soccer balls and plenty of ruckus around me I stared at this little one trying to decide if it was safe to take off and soar. He stayed there for almost five minutes. I quietly watched, and the soccer ball hit me in the back twice and the buns once. Something about the girls yelling "goalllllllllllll!!!!" when it hit me brought me back to my surroundings. I felt like the Lord was saying "Keep watching that bird Lauren, I'm going to teach you something" and then he took off.
The bird was made to fly. high above broken glass. He was made with a purpose and being afraid to leave the shards is keeping him from his purpose. He was made to spread his wings, fly and trust his Maker. The one that cares about each tiny little sparrow and lily of the field and has every hair on your head counted and calls you by name.
I know God was showing me that while it may feel safer to stay perched on the broken glass, I was made for so much more.
I was made to spread my wings in faith and trust my Maker. and we're not talking about the kind of faith that says "Jesus please keep my safe and bless this meal and if it's your will, help my headache to go away."
I recently read the book "Sun Stand Still by Pastor Steven Furtick. The main thing I learned is that we've been called to a much deeper faith, a faith marked by audacity to accomplish the God-sized plan and purpose Yahweh has for us.. (side note: audacity=boldness or daring, especially with confident disregard for personal comfort or conventional thought.)
Joshua was granted entry into the Promised Land, but first had to endure quite a few steps with sand in his shoes as the Israelites wandered in the desert. God commanded him to lead a military battle against the Amorites in order to move into the promised land. The situation was impossible-but not for God. As the day's battle went on, God sent hail stones down on the enemy. Joshua and his army gave it everything they had against this impossibly strong foe, but they needed more time. As the hour of darkness came near, Joshua prayed a pretty amazing and audacious prayer in Joshua 10:12: "O sun stand still over Gibeon, O moon over the Valley of Aijalon."
Joshua asked God for the impossible in order to fulfill the promise and purpose of God. The Bible tells us that God delivered! Verses 13-14 tell us that "the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since....Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel." Now that's a prayer life I want to embrace.
The book talks about activating audacious faith in your life, to believe God for the things He has for your life. Not the brand new car you want for your life, but the plan and destiny designed for you since before your birth. Wow. I can't begin to describe the change in my heart after reading this book....Let me know when you get your copy so we can take this journey together. You won't regret it. Satan doesn't want you to-he loves seeing you on that broken glass, wings tucked safely back, watching time tick by. One more reason to open your heart to God's purpose for your life and FLY FREE.
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