Monkeys shouldn't be in cages in Africa!!!

    We went on another adventure to a lake about an hour outside of Kigali to have a staff meeting and to eat lunch together.  At this same location there was this monkey in a metal fenced cage.  He kept bouncing off the walls of the cage and he even jumped at a few of us when we were trying to take a picture.  It was quite humorous to watch and, I’ll be honest, his quick actions made me scream a few times.  Although I enjoyed the fact that this monkey was available for me to watch and even touch when I got up close, the fact that it was in a cage struck me funny.  I mean, we're in Africa aren't we?  This is its home- its natural habitat, and yet it's all locked up, away from the environment that makes it thrive. 

 

    We are in the same boat as this monkey.  No, we aren't in physical cages that restrict us from living the life we were made for.  However, our sins restrict us in the same way as that fence restricts the monkey.  Yes, yes, I know nobody wants a sermon preached to them about sin.  It's not fun to talk about, but it's what obstructs our vision of what life is supposed to look like, the way God intended.  This monkey (who I named Monte) bounced around that cage like a maniac, not because he was wanting to show off for the crowd (yes, I will interpret this animals intentions), but because jumping from tree to tree is what his body was made to do, but he can't really do that in this tiny cage, can he?  Sin limits us.  And I'm not just talking about those BIG sins like murder, theft, or adultery; although those are included.  Anything we do or don't do that can take life/joy from us or anybody we come into contact with is Sin.  When we allow sins to seep into our hearts, minds, actions, we are giving up on God's vision for our lives.  We are accepting the caged life as good enough.  We were made to live full lives in union with our Creator!  When we take God out of the equation, we live to please ourselves, and end up completely unsatisfied.  No promotion, no winning lottery ticket, no expensive possession, no loving family, no significant other can make us feel as valuable as God's love for us demonstrated by Jesus Christ.  As strange as it sounds, Monte the Monkey encouraged me to evaluate what sins were restricting me from living the life God intended for me to live.  Not necessarily to jump trees... but to love Him and serve Him as Lord of all creation.