Serving

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. [Ecclesiastes 4:12]

"Misty Mountain"

Misty Mountain was the most perfect place there could be for two young bears to grow up together. Benji and Bambi were the happiest bear cubs on the mountain when they were tiny. All the forest creatures knew when it was playtime because they ran through the forest, stumbling over everything, chasing anything and never catching anything except each other. The fun they shared was contagious. All of Misty Mountain was at play when the bear cubs were at play.

As they grew up, Benji and Bambi were always close but Benji became an expert hunter and fighter. He many times fought enemies for the borders of Misty Mountain and was a hero to his friends and family. But just as many times, he created wars and fights that didn’t have to happen and made trouble for the people creatures that shared the mountain with he and his sister. Every day was an adventure for Benji but he didn’t always have the wisdom of when to enter into struggles and when to let God guide him.

Bambi the Bear and her sweet cubs loved playing near the lake at the base of Misty Mountain. When they played, they brought great joy to all living things just as she and her brother had done when they were young. Not far away she knew that Benji was hunting because that is what he always did.

Suddenly the alarm went up. Through the trees in every species language, the alarm was the same “DANGER – WOLVES”. The Asante band of roving wolves were back to Misty Mountain to raid and kill and destroy. All around the lake peaceful animals were pulling back and fleeing up the mountain to escape the raid. Already Bambi could hear their growls as they charged through the trees angrily. She gathered the cubs and hurried up the hill to their caves where she knew they would be safe.

Benji heard the wolves as well but his instincts acted differently. Instead of retreating to the hills, he took position to defend his beloved mountain and his family and friends. Somewhere in his mind a voice said, don’t fight them alone Benji. Think before you attack. And that voice sounded like his sister, Bambi. He watched carefully from a sheltered place as the wolves gathered in a clearing to mass before they attacked. Before they could organize, he was on them.

The battle was fierce and for a while, Benji was winning. Wolf after wolf leaped upon him only to get batted away with claw marks on his head or chest for his trouble. Benji bit and growled and clawed and dozens of wolves were wounded. But the battle wore on him and suddenly he realized he was injured and starting to fail. His growls turned to howls of pain and tiredness. Without warning, he was hit from behind by a very large wolf and he fell. Turning he looked up knowing that on his back, he was sure to lose when he saw something he never expected.

Behind the faces of the angry demonic wolves stood a bear as large and ferocious as any he had ever seen. She erupted with a growl that shook the trees and could be heard to the very top of Misty Mountain. Bambi tore into the wolves swatting them away from her brother and sending them flying into trees, over bushes and even into the lake. Their fierce growls and howling became frightened yipes. Instead of massing to attack, they fled in chaos into the woods limping and sprinting to get as far away from Bambi as possible. The Asante wolves never returned to Misty Mountain again.

Back in the caves, the cubs played on their injured uncle and imitated their brave mom in how she defeated the wolves. “I never thought you would fight like that.” Benji said to his sister.

“It is good to fight for what is right and good. And anyone who loves their family will fight to protect them. I seek peace with all creatures, as our God created us to do but this is a world with evil in it and brother, when evil tries to take over good, it will have a fight from this timid mommy bear.”

“Timid mommy bear” the cubs laughed and mimicked her swatting and making mock wolf cries. Benji laughed at their cute play and thought of the valuable lessons he learned. They were lessons about fighting and about defending what you cherish but they were also lessons of peace and joy that had always been the life testimony of his sister. And that day Benji’s heart changed from the love of battle to the love of family, God and peace.

But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. This will result in your being witnesses to them. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. [Luke 21:12-15]