Ostriches don’t actually hide their head in the sand when confronted by lions or other enemies. That’s simply not true of ostriches. But the image still helps us to think about ourselves. Do we choose to hide from unpleasant realities? Do we choose to not hear those things we don’t want to hear? Yes, we do! It is common human behavior.
We find ways to pretend that bad things aren’t really coming our way. Our Methodist heritage of activism, determination and responsibility, as wonderful and biblical as it is, sometimes leads us to just keep working. To keep working, doing the same thing we have been doing but with more effort, is sometimes a way to avoid facing reality. We can do more for God than to simply work harder.
So what are some of the unpleasant realities we choose to avoid? As a nation we try to turn our attention away from the federal debt and climate change, just to name two. Families often neglect to address their credit card debt. Parents are prone to overlook a child’s not-so-desirable friends or near constant TV watching. Towns and cities oftentimes neglect clogged storm drains until “the big one” comes, and then streets and homes are flooded.
I have seen churches with a “head-in-the-sand” philosophy about maintenance for their aging buildings. I have seen congregations which are dying numerically but choose to stay focused on harmony and tranquility in the ranks and refuse to address the real issue, their declining witness for Jesus Christ.
So putting one’s head in the sand is not something ostriches do, but it’s sure something we humans do. What’s your favorite reason for diving into the sand?
See you in church next Sunday!