Let’s face it – you and I, we can’t juggle chainsaws can we?
We wouldn’t dream of firing up three chainsaws and juggling them. So – here’s the bit that I find intriguing – why do we try such a crazy stunt with the “chainsaws” in our lives?
You’d have to be nuts right?
What are the Chainsaws In Your Life?
Probably most of us, in a quiet moment over that Christmas-New Year break, thought a lot about the things we want to change in our lives. Statistically, here are the most common new year resolutions:
1. Lose weight
2. Exercise more
3. Drink less
4. Improve work-life balance
5. Work on a relationship (marriage, kids, etc.)
… and so the list goes on.
What is it that’s robbing you of the satisfaction and contentment that you’re really looking for? And what are you going to do about it?
For many people, there is no doubt a raft of issues. Perhaps the things going on in your life are all mixed together in a way. Low selfesteem which leads to problems at work, and so you bring the tensions home with you and that in turn leads to arguments with your wife or husband – and that drags the children in because they sense the tensions. They hear the arguments. So now they’re on edge and they resent you and so that brings even more tension which in turn causes you to blame yourself, pushing your selfesteem to even lower levels.
The Critical Mistake That We Make
And if any of that sounds familiar, remember you’re not alone. That one scenario plays itself out over and over again in lives and families and workplaces across the globe.
But here’s the mistake that people make. Listen carefully to this – they try to fix all the problems at once – and that right there is like juggling chainsaws.
(a) it’s incredibly difficult,
(b) it’s dangerous and
(c) you have a high chance of failure.
What’s needed here is focus – a sharp focus on the one thing that’s at the bottom of it all, the one thing that’s the root cause, the one thing that you need to sort out before you can address the flow on impacts.
How Jesus Deals with Chainsaws
As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard a crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” Then he shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who were in front sternly ordered him to be quiet; but he shouted even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Jesus stood still and ordered the man to be brought to Him; and when he came near, He asked him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me see again.” Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, praised God. (Mark 18:35–41)
This man had lots of different problems. He was a beggar. He was poor. He was isolated, unemployed and therefore shunned by society. He had multiple dysfunctions and alienations in his life. But he knew that the root cause of all of them was his blindness – which meant he couldn’t work. When Jesus came along – this Jesus who’d apparently been healing other people – the one thing he focused on, was the one thing the blind beggar needed.
That’s how it is with us. We need to get down to the one thing, the most important thing that needs doing in our lives.
And this Jesus is always ready to oblige. Sometimes it happens quickly and miraculously the way that it did for the beggar. Other times, He addresses our problems and meets our needs over weeks, months, years – even over a lifetime.
It’s a remarkable thing – whenever you see Jesus touching people’s lives in one of those four Gospel accounts of His life and ministry – Matthew, Mark, Luke or John, take your pick – He always, always focuses on the one thing that needs doing. The one infirmity that needs healing. The demon that needs casting out. The sin that needs forgiving.
Just one thing. He doesn’t try to get people to juggle chainsaws. He touches them and heals them of that one thing.
Jesus, in short, deals with the chainsaws one at a time – the most important one first!
Put them Down for Christ’s Sake
And if you’re in a place in your life where the problems and the dysfunctions and the alienations are overwhelming you – here’s what I’m going to encourage you to do. Go to Jesus and ask Him to heal just one thing. And if you don’t know what needs healing – ask Him. He already knows. And He’s already there, waiting to touch you, to heal you, to forgive you, to give you a fresh start in life.
How do I know? Because He’s done it in my life, and in fact He still is.
That’s why they call it … the Good News!
