The Wicket Gate

Greek mythology tells us the tragic story of Icarus.  Icarus and his father Daedalus (DEAD a lus) were imprisoned on the island of Crete by King Minos.  Seeking escape, Daedalus collected feathers of various sizes from the birds on the island and using a softened wax, he joined the feathers together to make large wings for he and Icarus to fly off the island. 

This effort came with a warning to Icarus from his father.  “Do not fly too low or the spray from the ocean will weigh you down and do not fly too high or the heat from the sun will melt the wax.  In either case you will meet your end in the sea”. “Be wise and stay in the middle,” he added.  As one might expect from the young and foolish, as soon as he had taken flight Icarus swooped down to feel the ocean spray and the thrill of riding near the waves. 

He quickly became weighted down and in an attempt to save himself he turned upwards and flew high into the air.  How glorious it was soaring above the clouds until Icarus felt the hot wax dripping onto his back as his wings fell apart.  Helpless to save his son, Daedalus looked on as Icarus, now wingless, plummeted into the sea. (see footnote for reference material)

The Greeks, while they didn’t have the benefit of the special revelation of God and the knowledge of the Messiah, they did possess God’s general revelation.  This revelation showed them there are good choices and bad choices in life and that all of our choices have consequences.  While there is certainly no salvation to be found in these myths, that can only come from Christ and his Gospel, there is much virtue to be learned. 

If we believe that all people are created in the image of God then surely even the Greeks had something of God’s character to reflect to us from the past.  We must not dismiss these as useless, foolish myths but rather early man’s attempt to convey God’s moral law that was written on their hearts.  

In a world today that is constantly weighing us down with fear and panic or on the other hand telling us to reach for the stars, or to dream big and then dream bigger, maybe the Greeks have something to tell us.  Are you burdened that you haven’t reached the heights you always dreamed of?  Are you low and looking up at the clouds thinking you will never make it up there?  Have you soared high only to find the heat of the high sun has melted the wax on your wings sending you tumbling back down? 

Dear reader, there is great virtue in the golden middle. 

“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter 1:13 – ESV

The faithful Christian doesn’t need to seek the highest of highs or the biggest of dreams nor do they need to be happy with asceticism and lowly living.  The faithful Christian lives in the golden middle and is of sober mind and sound judgment.  We are to be wise and discerning and as we are told in 1 Thessalonians 4:11, we make it our ambition to live a quiet life, mind our own affairs, and work with our hands.  This isn’t flashy and it doesn’t make headlines but it will keep our wings strong as we fly together to glory. 

• This article originally appeared in the Faith section of the Rockdale Reporter Newspaper. New edits in this version.
• Markos, Louis. 2020. The Myth Made Fact : Reading Greek and Roman Mythology through Christian Eyes. Camp Hill, Pa: Classical Academic Press.