Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall;
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the King's horses
And all the King's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again!

            Who was Humpty Dumpty?  There are a handful of people from the 17^th century who have been  identified as the real life Humpty Dumpty.  In reality there are lots of things in life that we can call Humpty Dumpty.  We could rewrite this with the words:  “The community or civility sat on a wall. . .  We could use the words, “human beings.”  That’s what happened in the Garden of Eden.  We had a great fall.  There was nothing that the King’s men or horses could do to save poor Humpty.  Many today can relate to Humpty.   We live in a world where hopelessness is a reality.     

            Can Humpty be put back together? What can we learn from this nursery rhyme?  If we use Humpty as a metaphor for human beings or the world, this rhyme identifies a universal problem.  We live in a broken world with broken people.  Just watch the news or read your Facebook wall to see evidence of this.   The problem with the rhyme is that it does not offer any hope.  It’s not for lack of trying.  The task was too great.  The resources that where sought after were inadequate .  The people put hope in the wrong things. They still do.

           

The Bible warns us not to put our hope in the things of this world. The Psalmist write in Psalms 20:7, “Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God.”  It not that the created things are bad, they are just not able to deal with our brokenness. In the Old Testament God warned His people to not ask to have a King put over them.  What did they do?  1 Samuel 8:4-7 tells us.  “Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; and they said to him, ‘Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.’  But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to judge us.’ And Samuel prayed to the LORD.   The LORD said to Samuel, ‘Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.’”

            The world was broken in the Garden.  People have been trying to put it back together through religion, philosophy, and collective and personal efforts for thousands of years.  Where is our hope?  Is it the government?  Is it ourselves?  Is it in electing the right leader or getting the right laws passed? A thousand times no! All of the kings horses and all of the kings men couldn't put Humpty together again!  We are not without hope.  We have “the Hope” in Jesus Christ.  He is the One who is and can put Humpty back together again. He is the One who proclaimed “Behold, I am making all things new.” (Revelation 21:5)  “Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:13)