Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Journal 2005 10 26
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

“…as we thought it necessary at this time to treat those people verry friendly & ingratiate our Selves with them, to insure us a kind & friendly reception on our return, we gave Small presents to Several, and half a Deer to them to eate.    we had also a fire made for those people to Sit around in the middle of our Camp, and Peter Crusat played on the violin, which pleased those nativs exceedingly.”   

Once again we see that the Captains and the men are acting as emissaries of President Jefferson. I always liked the title of John le Carre’s spy novel, “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.” It reminds me of the roles that must be played out for the mission to be completed successfully. Soldier, Sailor, Diplomat, Explorer, Boatbuilder, Spy, Cartographer, Astronomer, Biologist, Scientist, Tailor, Hunter, Author and the list goes on. Today, they see clearly the need to be diplomats.

The people the Captains were entertaining today are two chiefs who were hunting earlier and have since returned anxious to meet the men who came from the east by land. Not from the west, by sea, as expected.

Have you ever thought about the many titles that might describe you as you walk through life? Your earliest ones are simple. Son or daughter. As we all grow and find our way the knitting together that took place in our mother’s womb begins to unfold. Our personalities take shape and the desires of our heart begin to lead our steps. Physical strengths and weaknesses propel and limit who we become.

Somewhere along our timeline of life, we all have a choice to make. That choice is our response to God and His offer of redemption through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. Dependant on our response, our desires and disappointments combine with our strengths and human frailties to shape our adult lives and carry us into darkness and its hidden trapdoors or into the Kingdom of Heaven and “it’s marvelous light.”

God has set a great expedition before each of us. Many Hebrew names describe the different attributes of God by name. Many titles describe the roles of Son and Holy Spirit. You probably have had descriptive names attached to you by others that identify traits unique to you. Make a decision today to let God redeem those traits for His purposes in this world. Then they will bear good fruit and be a source of joy for you.

If John le Carre wrote a novel with you as the primary character what words would he use to describe your life in the title of that book?