Imagine two bodies of water, formed in connection with one another. One large, one small, with the smaller one made to be sourced by the larger. Over time, with storms tossing branches and trees about and trespassers dumping rocks that block the path of water between the two bodies, the larger body of water has grown in size and beauty. It had become a destination point all on its own.
The smaller body of water is slowly cut off, neglected from its intended source of fresh water and separated from the fish that flowed between. Over time, where two bodies of water had lived in perfect symbiotic relationship with one another, they have now been separated.
The smaller body of water has become a swamp.
Cut off from the flow of consistent clean water, the environment becomes stagnant, rancid and dark. Fish and frogs die, and swans no longer come to nest. The swamp is forgotten, despised by others, and it becomes only a breeding ground for mosquitoes and snakes.
But the larger body of water shines with beauty and is proud of its size and abundance of life. It welcomes others to bask in its glory, share in its celebration of all that it has become, and the surface of the water is soon filled with laughter, parties on boats, jet skis and people taking joy in being where everyone else strives to vacation. Houses have sprung up and resorts draw a multitude of visitors.
And the large body of water rejoices in its acceptance and praise by others.
But soon fish begin to die, frogs begin to deform, and trash begins to collect in the reeds around the lake. A murky film begins to cover the surface, moss grows from the edges and algae chokes out the life contained within. Once thriving and beautiful, the larger body of water is now being cast aside by the vacationers who once raved about it, and people stop coming to celebrate, play and laugh. They have chosen another vacation spot that they deem more glorious, and eventually, what once was is forgotten, and people go to that lake no more.
Then one day, young boys discover the stones and fallen logs piled in the space that once connected the two bodies of water, and they joyfully start tossing them about. They enjoy spending time with each other in that space so much that they invite their friends and their friends’ cousins. An elaborate fort is built from the stones and the branches, and water begins to flow from the larger body of water to the smaller.
The rains came, the thunder roared and the storms brought cracks of lightning from the sky.
The boys took refuge in their fort by the stream. In community with one another, they encouraged each other, comforted one another, shared stories and formed lasting friendships as the storm raged on around them. And the boys were safe and dry, with laughter and singing filling the fort, loud enough to be heard outside of it as the storm passed.
And the healing begins — the larger and the smaller bodies of water are now connected. Water freely flows between them, fish move in between, and the water becomes clear and healthy. Such as it is in the body of believers, which also thrive in relationship with each other. With no one more important that another, husbands and their helpmates, masters and their servants, bosses and their assistants, politicians and their voters, pastors and their congregation, teachers and their students, business owners and their janitors, this list could go on and on…but NONE are higher in the eyes of the Lord than any other.
God created us to thrive in a symbiotic relationship with one another, created for one mutual goal — to praise His name and rejoice in His majesty forever. Praise be to God!
FURTHER STUDY: In https://www.pbs.org/articles/what-is-symbiosis/, “What is Symbiosis?” by Aryeh Brusowankin, he states that “Symbiosis is defined as a close, prolonged association between two of more different biological species. This relationship can be symbiotic (mutualistic), where both parties involved benefit from the interaction, or it can be parasitic, where one party benefits while the other is harmed. There are many examples of symbiotic relationships in nature, including mutualistic relationships between plants and animals.”
QUESTIONS TO EXPLORE: In thinking of your relationships with BOTH the teachings and guidance of God AND the prompting and ways of the Devil, how do those relationships impact your relationships with others? Write them down in two columns, and try to do this without judging your answers or thoughts as being right or wrong, you are simply exploring both the relationship that you have with God and how it impacts your earthly relationships and the relationship that you have with the Devil and how that impacts your earthly relationships.
MIND-BLOWING THOUGHT CHALLENGE:
Consider this… what if your symbiotic relationship with your chosen deity also defines your purpose for living, the true reason you exist in the first place? And what if, by choosing to have a symbiotic relationship with either God or the Devil, or both, that your purpose is not predestined in the sense that God defined it for you as your creator, but that he predestined you to be part of the process of choosing your purpose?
In a symbiotic relationship, the thoughts we believe to be true from God or the Devil become our thoughts, and our thoughts become the same as theirs, therefore defining our purpose as predestined by God. And is not our purpose a daily choice? Each day you awaken is a new day to live as you wish, to choose your path, to choose your thoughts, and therefore to choose your purpose. I have been shown that in living out God’s purpose for me, I am to die to myself each day, giving my thoughts and free will over to him, and as his thoughts become mine, he puts the crown of free will back on my head every single time. Therefore, my purpose is God’s purpose and God’s purpose is mine… which is the most perfect example of a symbiotic relationship that is imaginable.
(Originally published on medium.com on February 1, 2023 by Steph)