On more than one occasion, Eldredge uses hyperbole to make a point. For example, he makes the following statement …
Page 42 “The guys who meet for coffee every Thursday morning down at the local coffee shop and share a few Bible verses with each other – where is their great battle? And the guys who hang out down at the bowling alley, smoking and having a few too many – they’re in the exact same place.”
Well that isn’t very likely to be true. It is true that our relationship with God can get dry. We can have hearts without passion for our Lord. We can be lukewarm (neither hot nor cold) and the object of his displeasure like those in the church at Laodicea (Rev 3:14-22). However, the guys who meet for coffee every Thursday and share Bible verses are (presumably) learning to use the sword that God gives us for the battle we are called to live. They aren’t even close to being in the “exact same place” with the guys at the bowling alley.
Eldredge’s most significant weakness is his use (or lack of it) of Scripture. We study the Bible because we know that we are told to:
… be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6:10 – 20, ESV)
You’ll notice in multiple chapters that Eldredge has a fairly limited view of original sin and the fallen nature of mankind. Remember that just because you find an inclination or urge in your heart doesn’t mean that it is something that pleases God or that God will bless. God warns us about our hearts. He says that are desperately wicked and says that we can’t know them but He can and will heal our hearts. After being informed by Scripture of our problem with sin, we should have a natural distrust of ourselves and cleave to God as the one called along side us to lead and instruct us. Ephesians makes it clear that we are at war and gives us instruction on armor and weapons. In a battle, you had better know where your sword is and keep your armor on. You had better become familiar with your weapon and learn how to use it. If it takes a Thursday morning bible study, then go for it. We take golf lessons, tennis lessons, and study hunting and fishing. Some people even take bowling lessons. Those things bring some limited benefits in our lives but the Word benefits in all areas of our life both now and for evermore. I remember listening to an expert hunter speak on the use of various turkey calls. He had actually learned to suppress his gag reflex so that he could use a call that fits in the back of his throat. His ability to imitate a Turkey call was amazing and, when using that call, he had both hands available for his weapon. There are often time when we will find our sinful nature something that we must fiercely refuse to submit to and must eliminate from our lives. Jesus said that if some body part offends then cut it off. Jesus could also use hyperbole to make a point.
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Discussion Notes for Wild at Heart – Chapter 3
Page 40 – Joshua was at the zoo and he found a gorilla that still remembered it was a gorilla. He was a skinny little kid who decided to beat his chest at the silver back male gorilla. It jumped up and slammed the glass so hard that it shook his world and sure startled me. That gorilla still believed he was a gorilla.
Page 41 – Why are men disconnected? I don’t think it is as grim as Eldredge paints it.
Page 42 – Baloney alert. You’ve got a sword to learn. I appreciated the way Tolkien introduced that a sword was more than a thing for poking stuff. It was a symbol of the King. It had a name, it took on a life. Even broken it was at thing of value and symbol. It was a logo of the King.
Page 44 – When we withdraw from the charge that God gives then we seek to escape. Jonah ran. Football widows, Fathers that don’t connect with kids, pornography, …
Page 45 – God is going to search you, try you, and sift you. If you are afraid of being exposed well then you might as well get over it. He is going to look at your heart.
Page 46 and 47 – Keillor has a little list of things he can do and things he can’t do. His list makes him wonder how he measures up as a man. Who really gets to make up the list? Is there a standard list or do we actually vary as guys? I get worried when someone seems to think that all guys should be a certain way. I get worried when someone seems to forget that they live before the face of God.
Page 48 – Baloney alert, Romans 7
14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15 I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
God wants to sanctify our work and every part of our lives. If you feel God calling you to do something … like build a church in the heart of Mormon Country, then do it. Don’t go making up some thing to do just because you want to do something for God.
Page 50 – Eldredge has some fuzzy thinking in the Garden with regard to God’s motivation.
Page 51 to 57 – Eldredge identifies some of the characteristics of sin in our lives but seems to fail to realize the depth of the fall. The fall corrupts our love of wilderness (we deify it), our willingness to show courage (we just pick fights), our love of adventure (we make up our own and can’t conceive of God directing us to adventure), and our beauty to fight for (we either make them the adventure or just a battle to win). Sin penetrates to the core and impacts all we do.
God is the vine and you are the branches. If you remain in Him and He in you then you’ll bear much fruit, apart from Him you can’t do anything.
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