Jesus and Helgon arrived at the pool. It was beautiful and so refreshing with the fear gone. Helgon had an idea, how many other people were wanting to come to this pool and were caught up by fear? Could he do something to help? Jesus was still with Him, and so he sketched out a plan, he laid a walkway connecting the path to the pool. Along the walkway he put up a freedom building, he then outfitted this building with the latest and greatest in "constrictor removal equipment". Over time the many different people came down the walkway, and arrived at the Freedom Building in timely fashion to be freed from constrictors of fear of their own. Over time, various different people stuck around and began to assist in the work, some of them younger and more energetic, and more gifted at specific nuances of the work than Helgon.
Jesus spoke to Helgon again, He said, "The work here is good, and I am in it, but I am also in you, and the time has come for you to leave the Freedom Building and walk on. Leave this work to others of my disciples" To which Helgon replied, "Where to?" "That is not important just now, just follow me, the faith that I have earned from freeing you earlier, follow me in that faith." Jesus replied.
Helgon pondered Jesus' words, and he just couldn't bring himself to leave the Freedom Building. So he stayed and kept working. Over time, the fun went out, and different people gravitated towards other workers because there was a something about Helgon, a lack, a weary performing way about him that was so different from the bright cheery nature of the others in the building.
One day it all came to a head, Helgon couldn't sleep, his mind was tormented by images of snakes around other people, a sense of futility, and Christ waiting for him by the path, with a sign marked "Future". Helgon finally realized that he had become so enamored with defeating fear in it's many forms, and in what he could do for other people that he had kind of forgotten about Jesus. Early that morning, he prayed with his fellow laborers, those who were called to this place for a time, and were alive in it still. Then he walked out, and joined Jesus and together they went towards the future.
There is a thing in us that seems to want to build for Jesus rather than keep it all about Him. He wants the depth of His nature explored and the gospel of the Kingdom spread, but we seem so often to be to busy planting churches, installing politicians, and policies or fixing people through various programs to pay attention to the deep truth that it is all work by human hands, unless it is actually done by the indwelling life of Christ. When Helgon put in the building, he felt alive and fulfilled, it was right, and good, but when Christ interrupted him, he wanted to stay with "his work." The thing he built for Christ had begun to mean more to him than Christ. These things should not be. Every thing we have or believe, we should be willing to test and give up for Christ. Everything. Everything. Everything. In this we actually find freedom. For Christ cares for us better than we care for us. Always has, always will.
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