“‘Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he…’” (Matthew 11:11).
There is a very well-known idiom that says that one should not allow the camel to put its toe into the tent. People refer to the expression by saying things like, you let the camel’s toe in, or, don’t let the camel out its toe in the tent.
Camels are adapted to survive in the desert. They can survive long periods without water and can eat basically anything, including the most hardy of plants. Their hoofs are well adapted for walking on sand and they are strong and enduring creatures.
During historical times when nomadic tribes – often Bedouin tribes in the Middle East – travelled with their camels through the deserts they would often camp in tents at each stop along the way. The camels would be allocated a section of the campsite, and when there was a sandstorm, the camels would be able to close their eyes and ears to the sand and sit down and wait it out.
If a camel got its toe inside a tent, it would be able to get its entire body in, because once its foot was in the door, the camel would be able to kneel down and then sit and then be inside the tent.
And I have been reflecting on that today as I have been reflecting on the Gospel…
“‘Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and men of violence take it by force.’” (Matthew 11:11-15).
Here there was a warning – straight from the mouth of God…
Christian life is a struggle. We will do things that are difficult and not accepted by society. We will make sacrifices that the world could not understand. We will pray for things when the world tells us to give up hope and live in the moment…
The Evil One has a strategy that he uses against us. And it is a very simple one. He just aims to get his toe into the tent. It is not that he tempts us to stop praying, he just tempts us to pray a little bit less. It is not that he tempts us to hate our neighbour, it is just that he tempts us to complain a lot about how much they have wronged us. It is not that he tempts us to commit adultery, it is just that he tempts us to think about others in a lustful manner.
And I have been thinking about that today. Because it seems to me that though I convince myself that I am able to withstand temptation, the Evil One already has his toe inside the tent – and just like a camel – he is better adapted to this environment than I am. And this means that without GRACE, there is no way that I could ever out-survive him. So, today, I pray for the Grace to keep the toes out of the tent…
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.