Rolling Around

One night I was lying in bed listening to The Horse and His Boy, a radio theater production. As I attempted to fall asleep, I mused upon a certain section of the story: when Bree and Shasta are at the beginning of their journey to "Narnia and the North". After a hard night's ride, Bree desires to take a roll in the grass before donning the saddle once more. The conversation goes like this:

When Shasta had finished his breakfast..., Bree said, "I think I'll have a nice roll before we put on that saddle again." And he proceeded to do so. "That's good, That's very good," he said, rubbing his back on the turf and waving all four legs in the air. "You ought to have one too, Shasta," he snorted. "It's most refreshing."

But Shasta burst out laughing and said, "You do look funny when you're on
your back!"

"I look nothing of the sort," said Bree. But then suddenly he rolled round
on his side, raised his head and looked hard at Shasta, blowing a little.

"Does it really look funny?" he asked in an anxious voice.

"Yes, it does," replied Shasta. "But what does it matter?"

"You don't think, do you," said Bree, "That it might be a thing talking
horses never do -- a silly, clownish trick I've learned from the dumb ones? It
would be dreadful to find, when I get back to Narnia, that I've picked up a lot
of low, bad habits. What do you think, Shasta? Honestly, now. Don't spare my
feelings. Do you think the real, free horses -- the talking kind -- roll?"

Now, Bree had an honest, legitimate fear. What if he can't do something like rolling which brings him great delight in Narnia? What if real horses don't roll?

Translate that to the Christian life. In many ways, Christians believe that doing certain things shouldn't be done by "real" Christians? At times We can be a bit like the town folks in the film Babette's Feast who fear enjoying the feast because if they enjoy it, they may fall into sin.

As Bree forgot that though he is a Narnian horse, he is a horse, we forget that we are human beings as well as Christians. We were made, created to enjoy the world around us, even more so than those who are not believers. Christians should find delight in everything from a well, crafted dessert to a beautiful sunset, a stunning painting to a fragile butterfly. There is no shame in reveling in the good gifts God has given us, "for everything God created is good" (1 Timothy 4:4) and he has "richly provided us with everything for our enjoyment" (1 Timothy 6:17).

So by all means Bree, roll!