Grasshopper Theology 1

It seems to me, and maybe I am just talking about myself, but I think this afflicts many others as well, that so much anxiety and stress comes from thinking rather too much of yourself, of seeing yourslef as the centre of your universe.  So much modern day rhetoric, both inside and outside the church, focusses on how special you are, on how important it is your needs are met, and how the goal of your existence is to acheive fulfilment and experience all you possibly can and accomplish some great destiny.  Otherwise, frankly, you didn't do it right, your life is wasted.

God has a wonderful plan for your life, so if your life doesn't turn out to be wonderful, that is if no one would want to write a book about your life, then you must have done something wrong with it.  I'll be honest, I often feel burdened that I am supposed to do something great, achieve something mighty, make a difference to the world, leave my mark, live a life worthy of one of those really inspiring Christian biographies that line the shelves of the Christian book stores.  But does that desire come from my devotion to God and my desire to serve Christ, or from my own ego that thinks I'm so special and important that my life needs to really count for something?

Grasshopper Theology is the antidote to thinking that you are someone special who God needs to do something really great to help God save the world.  A certain church near me delights in teaching its young people that they are royalty, princes and princesses, because they are Christians they are God's children and so can expect the success and priviledge that comes from being the children of the King of the Universe.  It's a nice idea.  But Grasshopper Theology takes a different tack, frankly when God comes to town, it is better not to be caught being the prince . . .

Do you not know?
       Have you not heard?
       Has it not been told you from the beginning?
       Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
       and its people are like grasshoppers.
       He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
       and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
He brings princes to naught
       and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.

Isaiah 40:21-23