Bound by a String

I remember reading some years ago about how in India Elephants are used for some very rigorous jobs. These giants, who possess enormous power and will, move and work with the greatest of precision. Yet, at night when their work is complete these wild, but tame creatures are tethered to a pole by a small rope. You would think that the “call of the wild” would at some time kick in and they would simply make a run for the hills and freedom. But, they don’t! Why?

First, they are not captured as adults and made to do what seems to be totally unnatural for them. This kind of training begins when they are very small. When they are small they are removed from their mother and taken to a place where they are secured to a very large tree with a huge chain. As they yearn for their mother the chain holds them in place, often causing great pain and bleeding as the chain wears through the skin. At some point the pain and futility of the struggle impacts the will of those giants and they yield their will to the Trainer. This process often takes some years, but the result is worth the effort from the Trainers point of view.

Although, these massive creatures are not out roaming the land in freedom, they are engaged to work; work that impacts an enormous group of people. We see this and our hearts feel torn. Our sympathy for the elephants causes us to ask, is there not another way? Our understanding of that culture causes us to think of it differently as well.

For me, the image of that small elephant bound by a huge chain is unnerving. As he struggles for closeness, to be near his greatest love and lover he learns that he can’t break the chain that has him bound. Then I think about that same elephant as a huge adult bound, simply by comparison, a string. And that string might as well be a chain, an unbreakable chain. For, in his mind it is just that! Yes, if he so desired, he could easily exert the effort and the rope would snap. But, the will to do so is not present. It has been tamed.

The spiritual parallels abound for us in this unique cultural tale. First, I would say that the enemy of our souls will do all he can to keep us from our greatest lover. He measures each of us from the moment we enter this world, looking for just the right moment and manner to secure us with a chain that hurts and binds. As that chain does it masterful work we become slaves to it and him.

On a more positive note: As much as we desire to be free doing what is natural. God, in his mercy, desires to make our lives useful and full of purpose. In order to do this He must separate us from our strongest ties, by calling us to himself. We cannot serve two masters. We will love one and hate the other; it can’t be both. To be his disciple He must become ALL to us. In doing this God shows us that first, we must learn to allow pain to shape our will, and our desire to be obedient. Disobedience will bring great agony, and allowing that agony to shape our will, to mold our hearts desires toward obedience is where our lives either take on glorious shape or ruin.

Secondly, God shows us that through yielding and obedience we not only find the greatest of freedom, but that the passions of our heart and life come into full bloom. We are actually freer than we could have ever dreamed.

Yes, the desire to “run” for the hills may be present. The “call of the wild” rings in our ears. But we come to recognize that the harshness of God, is kinder that the gentleness of our own brand of freedom.