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Christian Short Stories
In honor of my Navajo brother, Cecil. I have a dear brother who is a Native American of the Navajo Tribe in New Mexico. He is also a long-time devout Christian pastor to natives of Traditional beliefs and to Traditional Peyote (drug) practices. These are worshippers of many gods. My brother is a soft-spoken, committed and kind voice for Christ in the wilderness. He openly shares the love of Jesus with people that he encounters in his travels. He also prayer walks for long hours on beautiful tribal lands of red hills covered in pine and oak trees. In prayer, he speaks with the Father about those so in need of knowing Jesus. He always prays for my family as it is now also his. As a Christian, he is still in the minority among native people of his community. He has explained that many natives know there is a God but speak to Him through other earthly gods to which they pray. One day I asked him how a native who has believed in many gods would go about surrendering himself to the One True God. This is his response. Surrender A native warrior Scout goes looking for the One True God. He rides his horse across dry lands for hours, until he sees God standing alone on a hill. God has seen him approaching from afar. The Scout dismounts his horse and walks toward God, taking three war arrows in his hands. Head held high, he lifts the three arrows overhead and breaks them. He then lays them at God’s feet. He stands silent. God looks at the broken arrows and simply waves his hand down and outward in dismissal. The Scout stands silent. After a few minutes, the Scout returns to his horse and takes the blanket off its bare back. He turns and holds it above his shoulders in offer to God. God looks at the beautiful woven blanket and waves his hand in dismissal. The Scout stands in silence. Minutes pass before he returns to his horse. He stands and strokes his most prized possession before presenting its reigns to God. God again waves his hand in silent dismissal. The Scout stands silent, looking at God. God now looks into his eyes. The grasses of the plain wave gently in the uncounted moments, until time and eternity meet and the Scout drops to his knees. I will never forget this simple yet profound lesson of “Surrender” to our Lord. God calls me to Him, not to negotiate my terms of a divine relationship but to lay all earthly idols and passions aside and turn to the Giver of Life. Then, there is only me and Him. There is only truth! (© 2009 John Miller – All rights reserved. Written material may not be duplicated without permission.) |
