16 4JSUS  

 

You probably have never heard of Timothy Treadwell or about his life.  Timothy Treadwell grew up wanting to be an actor.  He even tried out for a spot on the original “Cheers” television show.  When he didn’t get the part his dreams were shattered.  Disillusioned and desperate he then turned to alcohol and drugs to find relief.  Timothy, like so many of us, felt somehow betrayed by what “he” felt he deserved.  Have you ever dreamed of being something or doing something great to only have it disintegrate right before your eyes?  When we are kids we are told to dream big and it will happen.  More often than not those “big” dreams are never left with directions.  I too, have had my own dreams fall apart, causing me to feel unimportant and rejected.  

 

After a near death overdose, Timothy Treadwell began to seek solace in a very unusual place.  Still angry by his dream “busters”, Timothy began literally living among grizzly bears on the Alaska Coast.  Yes, I said living with grizzly bears!  He traveled approximately 13 summers to the Katmai National Park to find peace and purpose.  He wanted to get as close as he could, yet no one knows exactly why Timothy sought to get so close to these beautiful beasts.  The grizzly bear (found in North America) can weigh up to 1000 lbs and stand over 8 feet tall when standing on its back legs.  There are a lot of theories of why Timothy Treadwell did what he did but that’s all they are.  Unfortunately, Timothy Treadwell is not here to tell us why.  

 

In the fall of 2003 Timothy and a friend were found half eaten at their camp site.  Treadwell was less than a week away from going back home when he was found by his air taxi.  When the Forest Service came to get the bodies they shot a mature male grizzly that was still at the site.  When the necropsy was performed, Timothy’s body parts were found in the bear.  

 

If you are like me you are wondering, what was this guy was thinking?  What drove him to do something so crazy?  These were wild animals that with one swing could crush a grown man’s body.  The warning signs were all around yet he ignored them.  The park service warns visitors not to get within 100 yards (The complete length of a football field).  Treadwell, who shot over 100 hours of footage, was seen at times even touching these mammoth animals.  The park service also asked that visitors not stay in one area more than seven days because the bears often roamed areas for food and they did not want to be near where they would hunt.  Treadwell often would stay in one spot for the whole summer.

 

At first glance I am nothing like this guy.  I mean, you would have to be an idiot to do what he did.  He allowed himself to get so close to death and ignored all the warning signs.  Death was always lurking around the corner, staring at him both day and night.  Well, at second thought, maybe I am more like Treadwell than I think.  I too, am sometimes disillusioned about what I think I deserve and I allow anger, bitterness and resentment to settle in.  With rebellion and pride in my hip pocket, I set out to “fix” my problems ignoring all the warning signs that try to direct me to safety.  Those grizzly bears remind me of Satan.  The Bible says that Satan, our enemy, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).   The Bible also says that if I will just “resist” Satan that he will flee from me (That means RUN).  

 

Bottom line is this!  It is no secret that Satan wants to kill us figuratively and literally.  Unfortunately, he succeeds everyday.  The warning signs are all around.  Resist him and he will flee. About our “dreams”,  It is definitely ok to dream big dreams.  The problem I have with my dreams is that they usually don’t involve God.  The fact is, I can’t do anything on my own.  I’m useless without Him and when I do try to fulfill my own dreams, I always fall flat on my face.  I found this verse in the Bible and it told me that God already had a dream and plan for my life.  In fact, it said that God had already begun to fulfill this plan.

“Be confident of this very thing that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”.  Philippians 1:6

 

Watch out for Satan and for those grizzlies!

 

By Brian Hoover