So often in youthful Christian vigour, we imagine that we can be as close to perfect as possible, in a very short period of time. Just obey the Word! It’s so simple! Why doesn’t everyone just do that?! But then we get knocked around by life, and we realise why. We, like Jacob before us, must be taught weakness. It is almost a prerequisite to true spirituality to enter eternity with a limp.

The story goes, that when the Cambridge Seven (distinguished young British missionaries who had left their popular sports careers and student lives, to move to China) arrived on those Eastern shores, that they had somewhat of a run-in with their new team leader – Hudson Taylor. Hudson Taylor was well known for his deep commitment to language, and had spent years labouring over various Chinese languages. When these young, zealous missionaries landed in their new, and very foreign homeland, they began to pray that they might receive the gift of tongues so that they could get into ministry immediately, without spending a harrowing amount of time learning Chinese. (And here, all first-term missionaries sigh understandingly…)

However, they were duly rebuked by the wise, seasoned missionary. Hudson Taylor responded to their desire with,

“How many and subtle are the devices of Satan to keep the Chinese ignorant of the gospel. If I could put the Chinese language into your brains by one wave of the hand I would not do it.”

While their approach seemed to be very spiritual, it was in fact quite the opposite. Hudson Taylor knew the benefit of wrestling with language learning, coming to deep understanding of the people and culture. He knew that the process was a positive one, that the Lord intended to do more in these men than to merely give them a functional ability to do some work. For the Creator, the process is an integral part of the formation of the final product.

Ever since mankind was in the Garden, and that fatal first sin was committed, we have tried to shortcut the goals set before us. As with our first mother, we are fickle creatures, seeking always the final product without the process in between. What it would have been, to walk with God, to progressively get to know him, to become like him, and to see the world as he sees it. But instead, she listened to the lie. The lie that the fruit could give her more than that, without a moment of waiting. Even our Saviour was tempted in the wilderness to escape the way of the cross for the kingdoms of the world, for the devil knew this inherent weakness in mankind. We long for the glory, and if we can avoid the cross, all the better.

And this way of thinking permeates our lives.

It’s in the student’s homework, who uses AI rather than try and fail and try again.

It’s in the pastor’s study as he reaches for a commentary before he has long wrestled in prayer, and meditation on the passage until it is deep in his heart.

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