Elon Musk Wouldn’t Mind Being “Saved” Session # 8 of 10.
Make your bed and lie in it—and don’t be afraid of being a “Sugar Cookie”
Admiral William McRaven
“You have made your bed now lie in it.” French Proverb [1]
“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap.” Galatians 6:7 NIV.
Elon Musk, like the Son of Man, has no place to lay his head.[2] He sleeps under desks, on airplanes, indoors, out of doors, he doesn’t have one bed, but many.
“If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.” Adm. William H. McRaven[3]
Admiral McRaven’s famous speech, Make Your Bed, was about how sowing a good habit consistently would reap an ordered and transformative life. He was addressing the 8,000 graduates of the University of Texas. He gave them a vision for how they could change the world. If they were not interested in the subject, even their own world, then McRaven’s words would slip through their disengaged mind.
Influence
He spoke about the startling truth that one person who changes just ten lives out of the 10,000 people one meets in a lifetime—those ten could influence others, and in 125 years you could transform the lives of 800 million people. You may have heard this kind of scenario before, but rarely do you hear about a 125-year time frame. It is well known in historical circles that it takes about 175-200 years to completely flip a nation’s religious culture. Take for example that what is now called Istanbul, Turkey used to be the center of Eastern Christianity. It took around 200 years for the country to change from 95% Christian to 99% Islamic. [4]
True history
One of the great myths believed by many is that Christians attacked the Muslims and started the Crusades. The truth is Muslims attacked Europe 300 years before the Crusades and almost took Europe. They were stopped by Charles Martel at the Battle of Tours in October of 732. The battle took place in France, with the Muslims the aggressors in their effort to take the West by force.
The Crusades, circa 300 years later, were a response to the Islamic efforts to take Jerusalem. The Crusades took place over a 200-year period, 1095-1272. And, by the way, the Muslims won. Muslims don’t feel guilty like westerners about the Crusades. They actually know what took place and why. Most Church going westerners have no real idea. History teaches us that real cultural change takes a long time.
What Admiral McRaven is suggesting is that we rethink our life’s purpose and impact and reset it on a 125-175 year time frame.
Begin with a victory
When you start your day, begin with a victory, make a statement, make your bed. You need not take this literally, even though it is not a bad start to make your bed. Whatever efforts must be made, and the people who are impacted by such, think not only about this generation, but the next ten generations. When you worry about your family, the church, your nation, your government, take the long view, there is a long way to go. Worldwide conquest takes patience, Muslims have it, the Chinese have it. Americans, we don’t have it! But then all these history lessons are changed by the reality that we call God.
It is estimated that thirty years from now Islam will surpass Christianity as the world’s number one religion. Much of this growth is from Muslim men creating large families with several wives and many children, therefore, it is a numbers game. Western civilization, former Christendom, is in numeric decline because families are smaller and fewer children are being born. The numeric surpassing of Christianity, however, is a sideshow compared to the patient but sure dedication of Islam to conquer the world. Christians evangelize and assimilate into the culture. Islam evangelizes and insists on ruling the culture.
The Muslim message to the West is a Christianized Islam. It is post-modern, claiming to be worshipping the same God as Christians and Jews. Only 15% of Islam is Arabic, the majority reside in Asia. Most converts to Islam last three years. This is when they begin to read the Koran. When westerners or people around the world discover that Islam is a brutal ideology that includes the abuse of women, the killing of infidels—meaning anyone who is not Islamic—they begin to leave the religion. They also discover that the Koran doesn’t make sense, that it does not stand up to academic or historical scrutiny. And finally, that Allah is just Arabic for God. But unlike the Christian God, Yahweh, the Islamic God has no name, is not personal, doesn’t answer prayer, etc. The Christian God is a person, Allah is left undefined.
The larger point is that Islam is thinking in terms of decades and centuries, they plan to flip the story. Two hundred years to turn America into an Islamic nation is a realistic goal. At least the real Islam is dedicated to such a mission. The softer post-modern Christianized [5] version that is accepted in the West is a placeholder until the changes can be made and the new culture is in control.
You might suggest people study the Koran. Fine, but put it under the same examination the Bible has undergone for the last 200 years. It won’t stand as the world’s greatest book as the Bible does. The Koran would fail the test. In fact, no one has read the Koran until it is read in Arabic, it doesn’t count if you read it in any other language. This puts all the power in the hands of the few who rule from Arabic countries.
Is Christianity’s fall inevitable?
The problem with predictions is that no one really knows what is going to happen. If the past is truly the prologue to the future, then it’s a done deal. Christianity will weaken and fail, Islam or some form of it or some other ideology will take control. This is the problem with climate change advocates. They build the future on computer models, but those computer models have largely been proven false. No one seems to know how you freeze to death and cook to death at the same time. That is why they had to change from the too hot, too cold problem to the benign “climate change” moniker, because they can never be wrong.
Predictors make the basic mistake of thinking that conditions will continue as they are now. Yes, if critical issues such as population, the growth of world religions, the changes in the climate, all move ahead as predicted, then what they predict will come true. But because humans adapt, and God exists, I am even more sure that change will take place that will alter the outcome. I am talking about the God who is personal, has intervened in history, and promised to work all thing together according to his will. The mega twists and turns of history are largely out of our hands.
Consider one such claim:
“God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. And this is the plan. At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, be we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan,” [6]
Where do we start?
Get out of bed in the morning and then make your bed. Such a mundane task, as Admiral McRaven says, “If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another, and another. At the end of the day, the first task completed, has turned into many tasks completed.” [7]
Our commission
The Great Commission requires many people doing many daily tasks. A few are preachers, but everyone is a witness. Some are on the front lines, but many stay home and support. Some people are polemic, they are the ones who confront and debate whomever stands against Christ, the Bible, or the Church. Some cross many cultural and geographic barriers to live among those who are hostile to the gospel. When you see someone in debate, don’t worry about the fact you can’t do that, pray for them! They have been called to do it, that is why they are doing it! And if you like it, if you could picture yourself in the fray, making the arguments—then start taking notes, you may be next in line.[8]
But most followers of Christ are to be apologists. I am not speaking here about a professional apologist. I am speaking of giving reasons for why you believe what you believe. It is about helping others find a pathway to God. We are called to defend the faith by knowing the scripture, engaging in spiritual practices, and loving others as Christ loved. These require daily tasks, establishing ourselves through habits to be ready to give a defense of the hope that is within us, yet with gentleness and reverence. [9]
When and Where You live is no accident
In his famous presentation to the intellectuals in Athens Paul sets history in its place.
“He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything and he satisfies every need. From one man, he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries. His purpose was for all nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him-though he is not far from any one of us.” [10]
Yes, the big stuff is God’s alone. We humbly follow and serve him. This goes back to the base line theology that God moves the chess board of history, we are the chess pieces with breath in our lungs and a will that is shaped by our creator. We have the pleasure and honor of working with him in his effort to save, heal, and reconcile the entire creation with himself. He listens to our prayers, he meets our needs, he thrills our hearts, and we follow him in suffering and even death.[11] If you are not willing to bow the knee to him in this, be on your way, you can be your own God and good luck.
Make your bed and lie in it-—and don’t be afraid of being a “Sugar Cookie”
“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” [12]
Willing to fail
People who make a great difference in the world have something in common. They are willing to fail, look stupid, and keep moving forward. Admiral McRaven gives an example. In Navy Seal training, several times a week, candidates would undergo uniform inspection. He describes it:
“Your hat perfectly starched, your uniform immaculately pressed, and your belt buckle shiny and void of any smudges. But it seemed that no matter how much effort you put into starching your hat, pressing your uniform, or polishing your buckle, it just wasn’t good enough. The instructors would find something wrong. For failing the uniform inspection, the student had to run, fully clothed into the surf zone and then, wet from head to toe, roll around on the beach until every part of the body was covered with sand. The effect was known as a ‘sugar cookie.’ You stayed in that uniform the rest of the day—cold, wet, and sandy.” [13]
If you want to change the world, like Musk, Karl Marx, Bill Gates, Mother Teresa, you choose a group to associate with, as you will need plenty of help. There you are, in the bed or group you have chosen, with those who come with it and with the conditions that are associated. On a personal level, in order to succeed, you will need to get up each day, move forward knowing that you will become a “sugar cookie.”
McRaven went on to describe that many students could not accept their efforts had been in vain. They saw the entire exercise as unfair, unappreciated, and those students didn’t make it, they gave up. These students didn’t understand the purpose of the drill. The lesson was, you will never succeed. You will never have a perfect uniform. No matter how much you prepare or perform you will still end up “sugar cookie.” If you want to change the world, get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward.
“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” [14]
Bill Hull
2024
A new version of I Will Not Bow Down: My son (KR15.com) has just added the Audible version of I Will Not Bow Down to Amazon. It is in Amazon Beta which they will use to test their publishing aptitude—but it sounds good to me and WAY cheaper to let AI do it than to have a human reading it into a microphone. It is free with certain Amazon memberships.
[1] French proverb placed in 1590
[2] Matthew 8:22.
[3] Naval Adm. William H. McRaven, ninth commander of U.S. Special Operations Command. Taken from Commencement address, University of Texas, May 17, 2014. Address is entitled Make Your Bed. McRaven at that time had been a Navy Seal for 37 years. He spent many years as Commander of the Seals and then worked for several Presidents.
[4] I recommend Rodney Stark’s book on the Crusades. God’s Battalions, A Case for the Crusades
[5] Christianized Islam is based on ethics of the New Testament, good and evil, right and wrong, are based in Western values. For example, is Racism wrong, we would say yes. The Koran however would not teach that Racism or slavery is wrong. You can read Koran in English or many other translations, but it is not considered the actual Koran because only the Arabic is the actual Koran.
[6] Ephesians 1:9-11 NLT.
[7] Make Your Bed, Admiral McRaven, printed in The Beachcomber, free publication in Long Beach, CA. December 29, 2023.
[8] Philippians 2:13,14 God is at work in you to will and to work for his good pleasure.
[9] Look at I Peter 3:15, this is the role we play in relationship to others. It is based on them asking us questions regarding our means and ways of living that can be observed by them.
[10] Acts 17:24-27 NLT.
[11] Matthew 10:16-23 Jesus promises his disciples they will be arrested, put on trial, put in jail, beaten, lose family, and for most, death in action. He told us we will be hated and rejected but we must consider it all an opportunity. Jesus was no punk leader who sent out the minions to die while he lived a life surrounded by bodyguards. He went ahead and thus showed us how to live this life.
[12] English Standard Version
[13] Admiral McRaven, Make Your Bed. Printed in The Beachcomber, free publication in Long Beach, CA. December 29, 2023.
[14] English Standard Version