In the original “Karate Kid” movie (1984), Mr. Miyagi saves high school student Daniel from a savage beating. The older man dispatches the bullies through a form of Karate. Daniel begs to be instructed in Karate so that he can protect himself from the bullies.
Mr. Miyagi agrees to train Daniel and then directs Daniel to perform various menial tasks. One such task involves waxing Mr. Miyagi’s car. The older man insists Daniel apply the wax with his right hand, moving it in a clockwise circle. Similarly, he insists Daniel remove the wax with his left hand moving in a counter-clockwise circle. And, to make it even more difficult, it seems, the teen must apply and remove the wax at the same time! All of this while Mr. Miyagi chants, over and over, “Wax on. Wax off ... Wax on. Wax off.”
Daniel soon becomes frustrated with Mr. Miyagi, feeling the older man is taking advantage of him, using him to get some chores done. Daniel refuses to continue performing the tasks. At this juncture, Mr. Miyagi reveals that all the supposed menial tasks are actually practice for effective Karate moves. Upon understanding this, Daniel dedicates himself to perfecting all the moves.
And that brings us to Jesus and His confrontation with Satan in the wilderness.
In this week’s scripture passage from Luke, Satan tempted Jesus three times. Once with sustenance, once with power, and once with personal value. All three could be described as “whats” and/or “hows.” We know that Jesus resisted these temptations, rebuffing Satan’s attempts to entrap him. But, do we know the means of His victory?
If you think Jesus overcame Satan in the wilderness temptations because He is also God, you have completely misunderstood what happened there ... and why. Living life here on Planet Earth was all about experiencing life just as we do. Jesus needed to have our experiences, good and bad, empowering and tempting, etc. If, all through that experience, Jesus could just tap into being God as a way to have what was needed to resist temptation, then how could He be the “first born” of all of us?
He needed to experience everything just as we do; the “whats” and the “hows” of life here. In the wilderness, Satan always led with a “what” or a “how.” Jesus always responded with a “why.” That’s because the “why” always drives behavior. Jesus knew His “why.” That’s how He could resist Satan. The “whats” and the “hows” were not any easier, but knowing the “why” provided the drive to accomplish the mission. Jesus never forgot why He was here. And that drove Him all through His life and ministry.
Daniel’s frustration with Mr. Miyagi grew from performing the “whats” and the “hows” without knowing the “why.” Once he understood the “why,” Daniel was more than willing to perform as required.
Perhaps you have grown tired of the tasks God has assigned you? Maybe you think they are beneath your skill sets, or maybe they’re not aligned with your “calling?” Take heart. There is a plan. And if we will stick with Him, we will, eventually, understand that He has been developing us through our many experiences ... as menial as they may seem.
Wax on. Wax off.
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PHOTO (and a great little article about the true value on “menial” tasks: https://www.communicationlighthouse.com/embracing-menial-tasks-a-leaders-calling/
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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
First Sunday in Lent (March 10, 2019)
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts.php?id=118
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16
Romans 10:8b-13
Luke 4:1-13
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Friday mornings are the best! We gather at the Waco “Egg and I” restaurant for DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast. We start at 8:00 and wrap things up around 9:00. Join us for food, fellowship, scripture, and prayer ... and laughter.
Blessings,
Steve
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