Is It Really A Bugs Life?

As a person who struggles with chronic illness that seems to take me from crutches to wheelchairs and back regularly, occasionally I deal with something I call the "Grasshopper Syndrome." Many have suffered from this ailment along life’s road.

But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!" But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!” Numbers 13:30-33

Spies had been sent out to explore the land of Canaan and bring back a report. When the spies returned and reported what they had seen the children of Israel found themselves similarly afflicted with this "dis-ease." Although the land was plentiful, with sustenance like they had never seen before, the spies report did not reflect it. They had been unable to truly see it because their immediately focus was on their enemy. The longer they looked at their opposition, the bigger it became. Soon their faith in God, Who had brought them out of Egypt, was swallowed up. With it went their ability to believe that they could conquer and possess the land.

They were definitely suffering from the "Grasshopper Syndrome." They no longer saw themselves as mighty men of war but instead referred to themselves as "grasshoppers." Grasshoppers are little bugs that crawl around on the ground and are often stepped on unless they quickly hop away. Although they were God's chosen people Israel’s confidence in God, and in themselves as His children, had quickly evaporated. And strangely enough they were quite easily convinced that their opponents saw them just as they were seeing themselves. How quickly we deceive ourselves when we believe our own lies. How destructive self-deception can be.

"The truly scary thing about undiscovered lies is that they have a greater capacity to diminish us than exposed ones. They erode our strength, our self-esteem, our very foundation." Cheryl Hughes

What they needed was a change in perception as a cure for their self-dececption. This is often referred to as an "attitude adjustment." The word attitude is definited as "the way a person views something or tends to behave towards it, often in an evaluative way; a state of mind or a feeling; a disposition." How we view something affects our behavior. If our view becomes skewed our disposition changes. This is quite often how negativity begins.

"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." Winston S. Churchill

The children of Israel were in a difficult situation. It was not the first nor would it be the last. They needed to alter themselves by placing faith in God instead of themselves on this expedition. Unable to alter their enemies they needed to alter their negative thinking. Otherwise, in light of the idea that attitude determined altitude, they were definitely headed for the ground. After all that is where grasshoppers live. But it is not God's plan for His children. He wants our lives to reflect genuine faith in Him.

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6

"There are two ways of meeting difficulties: you alter the difficulties or you alter yourself meeting them." Phyllis Bottome

 
This is something I know a little something about having spent the past 13 years on crutches in a long leg cast. Along with having an injured left foot I've got distonia in my right hand. Bilateral injuries like mine are devastating because all balance is gone which means that I can easily lose my grip--no pun intended.

As a result of my current state I can choose to call myself "a cripple," or I can instead say that I am "temporarily inconvenienced." I can say that I am "unable to do anything because of the tremendous obstacles," or I can say, "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me." Which one sounds better to you? Which lines up more closely with the Word of God? What sound the most like "grasshopper talk?"
 

"Grasshoppers see everything around them as being bigger than them. The child of God sees God as being around everything, which makes every thing around them grow incredibly small as He eclipses it." Me

When we act like a grasshopper, others see us that way. When we act like a faith-filled believer ready to conquer in Jesus’ Name, we are seen just that way. How we are seen reflects how He is seen. God can be glorified in our lives by the way we respond to the challenges we face. How we respond depends on our preception.

The truth is no matter how big that obstacle is in your life, the Holy Spirit—which is resident in you—is more powerful. Your Father in Heaven is bigger than any devil you will ever face. The King of Kings and Lord of Lord—in whose image you were created—is the same Almighty One Who lives in you.

Should you run into enemies today as you travel towards your "Promised Land" remember the promises of God. Regardless of the giants you might encounter remember you are not a grasshopper. Don’t behave like one, for goodness sake! Reflect His image as He brings you through to that place of rich fulfillment. Just like the children of Israel you are destined for great things in God—do not settle for anything less.

Contrary to the cute little Pixar film it really isn't a bug's life!