You may recall James Thurber’s The Secret Life of Walter Mitty , a short story turned into a movie in 1947 with Danny Kaye in the starring role. Mitty is a character stuck in a very mundane life who escapes the bounds of that life via a very active imagination. He imagines himself various dashing characters, always the hero, and courageous and suave and witty and admired. His imagined life is ever in stark contrast to his real life devoid of any excitement and purpose.

There is a tendency for some of us, perhaps many of us, to pass through our spiritual lives with a sort of Walter Mitty complex. Oh, we have such great plans! We are going to do this great thing or that great thing for the Kingdom of God, and yet…and yet….it never seems to come to fruition. Or perhaps we have less grandiose ambitions – we know we will never be Spurgeon or Whitefield – so we simply imagine a personal spiritual life of inspired holiness coupled with boundless and profound Biblical insight – surrounded by adoring sycophants who hang on every pearl of wisdom dropping from our lips. Ah, imagine it! (And you do, don’t you??)

We all want to "be somebody." And certainly the desire to grow spiritually, and to assume responsibility commensurate with our gifts and abilities is commendable. No problem there. The problem is when we allow ourselves to drift into a Walter Mitty daze in which ambition, or the desire for notoriety, or fame, or praise takes an inordinate amount of our attention. Ever find yourself in the pew imagining how much better YOU would be preaching the sermon you are hearing? Imagine the congregation rising as one as you utter your last syllable to rush to the pulpit to commend you in one voice  for your articulate, penetrating theological acumen?

We are to be content in the usefulness we have before our families, employers, churches and God. Time spent in imagination about recognition or praises or fame is wasted. Deny, do not indulge your inner Walter Mitty.

David Leach