Words of Life: An Enduring Legacyনমুনা

Legacy of life: a surrendered life.

I once heard a story about a village plagued by a monkey problem. Desperate to catch the monkeys, the villagers devised a cunning plan. They hollowed out a coconut, placed fruit inside, and hung it from a tree. A monkey would eventually investigate, reaching into the hole to seize the tempting prize. But, in making a fist, the monkey found itself trapped – its clenched hand no longer fitted through the small opening. Even as the villagers approached, the monkey refused to let go, unknowingly sealing its fate. Freedom was an open hand away but, instead, it clung to a worthless prize.

In these verses, Jesus explains that true freedom comes from letting go, even of things we may consider valuable. He describes himself as the Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for his sheep, placing their well-being above his own. This passage foreshadows the ultimate act of love in John’s Gospel: Jesus willingly laying down his life on the Cross so that all people might receive eternal life. Jesus models that the best way to live is to surrender our lives to the Father’s will.

The challenge for us is this: how will we respond to the one who laid down his own life for us? Surrender isn’t easy, but as the story of the monkeys illustrates, clinging to things we deem important can also leave us trapped. We can grip onto our own plans for our lives, believing they will bring security, yet sometimes this grip prevents us from experiencing the true freedom God offers. The paradox of discipleship is that by laying down our lives in obedience to God, we discover what it truly means to live.

You deserve my every breath for you’ve paid the great cost;
Giving up your life to death, even death on a cross.
You took all my shame away, there defeated my sin,
Opened up the gates of Heaven and have beckoned me in.

Matt Redman (Salvation Army Songbook 371)