Jesus is Saying: Just Look at Me

The evil dragon had long presented an existential threat to the city. Even years after it had entered hibernation, the threat remained. And then the day came that the beast reawakened. And Lake-town inhabitants found themselves once again under imminent threat of destruction.

But there in the midst of all that fear and despair, one still-courageous man held out hope, Bard the Bowman. Intent upon slaying the dreadful beast, Bard ascended the city’s high tower. Even knowing that his arrows could never penetrate Dragon Smaug’s thick armor-like skin. Only one special black arrow could, and Bard didn’t have it.

Meanwhile Smaug circled over the burning city breathing threats of death and destruction. And all seemed lost. Until Bard’s son Bain, appeared with the famous black arrow, bringing the only hope of victory!

So Bard calmly prepared his final assault, placing his son between himself and the dragon. So that he could rest the tip of the heavy weapon on Bain’s shoulder. An action that required courage and sacrifice, and the youth was visibly frightened.

So Bard calmly prepared his final assault, placing his son between himself and the dragon. And then stabilized the heavy arrow by resting the tip on the boy’s shoulder. Their actions required courage, and the youth was visiblely terrified.

“Is that your child?” Smaug taunted him. “You cannot save him from the fire: he will burn!” At that the youth looked back fearfully at the fire-breathing creature.

But his father took calm, steady aim while telling his son, “Bain, look at me. You look at me.”

That episode from Tolkien’s The Desolation of Smaug has a happy ending. Bard’s sure-fire aim killed the dragon and saved Lake-town from total destruction.

Existential threats

We know a bit about existential threats these days, don’t we? Depending on who you listen to, we’re surrounded by them. Everything from nuclear warfare to censorship, pandemics, and artificial intelligence.

We human beings are prone to fear, anxiety, and worry. And rare indeed would be the person who hasn’t felt them to some degree, especially during the past few years. Everything we know seems threatened. Democracy, climate, freedom, world peace, public safety, energy and even supply chains.

Dragons are on the loose, breathing threats and destruction. To stand strong we need courage and bravery more than ever.

And like Bard, we may long to be brave, but find ourselves weaponless. With no way to fight, no safe towers, and nowhere to run from the destruction on our doorstep.

There in Lake-town’s tower, Bard and his son trembled in fear. It all seemed so hopeless. Until they remembered that they had two strategic weapons.

There is no special black arrow available to us. But we also have strategic weapons.

Our weapons against threat and fear

1. Keep your eyes on Jesus

“Keep your eyes on me,” Bard told his son. Look at me. I see the enemy, I feel the fear. But I am your father and will protect you. You look at me.”

We too have a Father who says, “Look at me. I see all the threats and enemies, but I AM your father, your protector, your strength. Keep your eyes on me.”

It’s difficult to stay focused in the midst of all the bad news, negativity, and alarm around us. It’s challenging to not be afraid of our enemies.

But we must remember that our greatest existential danger lies in taking our eyes off the Lord. Doing that could destroy our peace, our joy, and even our faith. One of the strongest weapons in our arsenal is keeping our eyes on Christ. “Look at me,” he tells us. “Just look at me.”

2. Use your special arrow

OK, so like me you likely don’t have any arrows, much less a special one. And nothing in our armory seems to make much difference against all these threats anyway.

It sure didn’t stop the pandemic, did it? Nothing seemed to stop the spread. And none of our own inadequate weapons will likely do much to check any current or future threats either.

But take heart. For even though we have no special black arrows, we are well equipped! In Ephesians Paul tells us that God has given us a full suit of armor that can even help us quench the enemy’s fiery darts!

In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Ephesians 6:16 CSB

OK, so like me you likely don’t have any arrows, much less a special one. And nothing in our armory seems to make much difference against all these threats anyway.

It sure didn’t stop the pandemic, did it? Nothing seemed to stop the spread. And none of our own inadequate weapons will likely do much to check any current or future threats either.

But take heart. For even though we have no special black arrows, we are well equipped! In Ephesians Paul tells us that God has given us a full suit of armor that can even help us quench the enemy’s fiery darts!

Man by StockSnap | Dragon by jw432 | Arrows by Gioele Fazzeri.