Navigating Church Conflict

Readings for today: Acts 15-16, Psalms 126

I frequently come across people who are surprised when conflict takes place in a church. They have a false impression that because all Christians love Jesus we would never have a difference of opinion or an argument or disagreement. They seem to think “unity” is the same as “unanimity” which simply is not true. From the very beginning, the church has struggled over significant issues. Struggled to come to one mind and one accord on various things. Because we are all sinners and naturally self-centered in many ways, it is not easy to discern the will of God. 

Today’s reading highlights a number of different conflicts. Conflict over circumcision and the role of the Jewish law in a Christian’s life. Conflict over restoring an individual who proved untrustworthy in the past. Conflict over where the Spirit was leading different evangelism teams to go. Conflict in Philippi over the deliverance of a slave girl. Conflict in prison which results in the conversion of the jailer. It is messy. It is a bit chaotic. The process of discernment often involves lots of trial and error. Mistakes are made. I imagine feelings get hurt. Frustrations mount. Divisions are created. But through it all, the Spirit is faithful to make His will known. And the result is the churches are strengthened in their faith and increase in numbers daily as God adds to them those who are being saved. Is it possible that these chapters are paradigmatic for today? Do they reflect real life in the real church in the real world? Should we expect conflict? Expect disagreement? Expect arguments over where to go and what to do and who to involve? And if so, how can we resolve conflict peacefully? In a way that glorifies God and brings honor to His name?  

One of the keys to navigating conflict in a godly manner is mutual submission. In Acts 15:1, a question is raised. Is circumcision required for salvation? This was no small matter. It was a question of identity. For centuries, the rite of circumcision had set the Jewish people apart. Marked them as God’s chosen people. They suffered for this belief. They’d been persecuted for this spiritual practice. No matter where in the Roman Empire they found themselves, they were easily identified by the fact they had been circumcised so there was no way to blend in. Since Abraham, circumcision had formed the core part of their shared identity and linked them intimately with the covenant promises of God. Now it was being threatened...what should they do? Paul and Barnabus had strong opinions. Based on what they had seen and experienced, it appeared the Holy Spirit was moving among the Gentiles. Non-Jews. People who were not circumcised. Who were they to stand in God’s way? Why add to what the Spirit was doing? This stirred up quite a bit of dissension and debate. So they go up to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles to make their case. Again, there was much debate. Passionate opinions expressed on all sides. Finally Peter stood up. Shared his heart. Shared his experience. Sought to apply the Scriptures. Paul and Barnabus shared about what they had seen in their travels. James called for a decision and the council decided to make circumcision a secondary matter. Non-essential when it comes to salvation. 

Make no mistake, this decision had huge implications but they found unity as their conclusion “seemed good to the apostles, elders, and the whole church.” Though the issue will pop up at various times throughout the Book of Acts and Paul’s letters, this moment represents a turning point for the early church. A general willingness of all parties to mutually submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Another aspect that’s highlighted is their ability to differentiate between essentials and non-essentials when it comes to the gospel. Again, just because a compromise was reached doesn’t mean everyone agreed. Unity is not the same as unanimity. I imagine quite a few of the Pharisees who had come to faith walked away with serious reservations. But they set those reservations aside for the sake of unity. They recognized the danger of division and how much harm would come should the church fracture over this issue. They made sure to focus on the essentials - not getting mixed up in idolatry, sexual immorality, and maintaining purity which are all matters of the heart - rather than force Gentiles to become Jews before becoming Christian. 

Imagine how different the church would be if it could practice the same kind of mutual submission that so marked the early church? Instead of fighting over secondary matters like baptismal practices, worship styles, spiritual gifts, etc., imagine what would happen if we could exercise mutual forbearance and submission and keep the main thing the main thing? Rather than pull up stakes the moment we disagree with the preacher or the elder board or another brother or sister in Christ, imagine what God could do with a church that was unified around the gospel? What might happen if we obeyed the call to forgive and reconcile rather than bounce the moment we are disappointed or let down? Friends, unity does not always mean unanimity so we should never expect we will always agree. The key to doing life together is navigating conflict with a humility that honors God and keeps Christ at the center.

Readings for tomorrow: Acts 17-18, Psalms 127 (No devotionals on Sundays)

Letting Go

Readings for today: Luke 14-16, Psalms 119:1-32

I used to be that guy. The one who would elbow his way to the highest place of honor no matter what the occasion. At work, I would weigh in on every matter whether I knew what I was talking about or not. At school, I would try to answer every question. On the athletic field, I did my best to stand out. My god was achievement. My goal was success. My greatest fear was failure. All because I wanted to be known. I wanted to be praised. I wanted to be the center of attention. This was true in my work as a pastor as well. When I went to seminary, I felt like I had something to prove so I did my best to outwork and outshine my classmates. After I graduated and started serving the church, I would look for opportunities to demonstrate I was more effective than my colleagues. I was constantly in competition with those around me. Constantly on the lookout for potential threats. It was exhausting. Then the Lord called me to plant a church in Wisconsin. It was the most painful, heartbreaking experience of my life. He crucified my ego. He broke me of my pride. He stripped my life down to the studs. I had nothing left. I was at the end of myself. I was a complete and utter failure.

Perhaps that’s why I resonate so much with the parable Jesus tells in Luke 14. I spent most of my life trying to claim the seat of highest honor only to have the Lord send me back to some of the lowest places over and over again. I was put in my place frequently by those with much more experience at work. My teachers stopped calling on me at school. My athletic career eventually ended as those better than me took my place. Even among my pastoral colleagues, I often made a fool of myself. Then, when things were falling apart in Wisconsin, I remember reading this story and thinking to myself, “Wow, God has sent me to the lowest possible place. Where do I go from here?” The answer comes at the end of the parable. Seek the lowest place. Don’t try to raise yourself up. Stop competing with those around you. Stop jockeying for position. Stop trying to prove yourself. Instead, embrace obscurity and anonymity and insignificance and let the Master raise you up.

Honestly, I’ve not looked back. My life from the fall of 2009 onward has been one grace after another. As soon as I relinquished my need to be successful, my need for achievement, and my need for attention, I became far more open to God. Instead of exhausting myself trying to show everyone how smart and capable I am, I was able to let go. God spoke to me very clearly, commanding me to labor in obscurity, embrace anonymity, and pursue insignificance. These three words have guided my life ever since. Not only that, but He made it clear to me that I am not to seek another position nor ask for another raise. Instead, I am simply to trust Him to take care of me. Every opportunity I’ve had professionally over the last fifteen years has come from the Lord. I have not pursued a single one. Every financial blessing I’ve received from my church has come from the Lord. I’ve not asked for a single raise. In fact, I’ve turned several down. These are not points of pride for me but rather examples of what it means to live out the parable of Jesus. What about you? Where do you need to relinquish and let go? Where do you need to stop your striving and rest in God? Where do you need to give up control so the Lord can raise you up in His time and according to His will?

Readings for tomorrow: Luke 17-18, Psalms 119:33-64

The Essential Nature of Humility

Readings for today: Matthew 23-24, Psalms 92

Humility is an “essential” in the Christian life. Literally, one cannot follow Jesus without developing this character trait. Frankly, it’s Jesus’ main beef with the Pharisees and scribes and other religious leaders of his day. He didn’t criticize their theology so much as their focus on the minutiae of the Law rather than the purpose the Law was designed to serve. The religious authorities majored in the minors. They specialized in regulating all kinds of behavior. They had the best of intentions. They had honest concerns about ritual purity and that’s no small thing. Especially in the ancient world. But over time they became prideful. Their goal was to serve the Law rather than allow the Law to serve humanity. Remember their attacks on Jesus over Sabbath-keeping? The religious leaders had all kinds of regulations governing how many steps one could take on the Sabbath or how much effort a person could put in before something became “work” and they forgot the purpose Sabbath-keeping was to serve which was blessing. By keeping the Sabbath, humanity would be blessed. They would experience more joy and more peace and more life and more love but the strict regulations robbed the people of these blessings. When Jesus healed on the Sabbath - bringing joy and peace and life and love to the person on the receiving end - the religious leaders went crazy. And that’s when Jesus reminds them that “Sabbath is made for man not man for the Sabbath.”

Matthew 23 is a series of discourses where Jesus contrasts the pride and arrogance of the religious leaders with the humility of the ordinary, everyday Israelite. He clearly demonstrates the difference between serving the Law and serving humanity. He calls the religious leaders, in no uncertain terms, to repent and humble themselves. Sadly, there is little evidence any of them ever did in Jesus’ lifetime. In fact, they redouble their efforts to have him arrested, tried, tortured, and killed. This chapter is worth reflecting on especially if you’ve been a Christian for a long time. It seems the longer we follow Jesus, the more tempted we are to major on the minors ourselves. Focus on the non-essentials instead of the essentials. It’s why so many believers switch churches over small things or finer points of theology while neglecting the higher call to unity and community. We seem so quick to give up on each other, especially if we don’t agree on everything or feel let down or get disappointed. We don’t put each other first. We don’t assume the best of each other. We don’t seek the mind and heart of Christ. It’s heartbreaking.

Humility is defined by Jesus who was by His very nature God and yet didn’t consider His status as God something to be held onto. He didn’t consider His perfection more important than relating to us in our imperfection. He didn’t consider His purity more important than meeting us in the midst of our impurity. He didn’t consider His power and authority and rights as the Son of God worth holding onto if it created a barrier between us and Him. No, Jesus let all of those things go. He emptied Himself in order to become our servant. He humbled Himself to death on a cross. He deliberately and intentionally chose to decrease so that we might increase. And if we truly want to follow Jesus, we must do the same for each other and the world around us. We must serve rather than be served. We must proclaim a gospel that is truly good news not bad news. We must seek to call people to life and light and love and joy and blessing rather than curse them or shame them or condemn them for not measuring up. I don’t know about you but when my time comes and I stand before the Lord, I do not want to hear “Woe to you” but instead “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Readings for tomorrow: Matthew 25-26, Psalms 93

The Power of Kindness

Readings for today: 2 Chronicles 9-12, Psalms 73

Kindness seems in short supply these days. In fact, kindness no longer seems to be a virtue in some circles. It is despised. It is rejected in favor of anger or hate or sacrificed in pursuit of power. Kindness is now equated with weakness. Those who are kind are perceived to be soft. Compromising. Even cowardly. I wish I could say this was a secular problem but sadly, it’s become a spiritual one as well. Despite the fact that kindness is an attribute of God, far too many Christians have exchanged kindness for crassness. Gentleness for brute force. Humility for pride. It’s hard to watch and it reminds me of Rehoboam’s tragic response to his people.

The people were weary after laboring so hard under the reign of Solomon. They naturally sought relief when Rehoboam ascended to the throne. They came before him and asked him to set a different course. Lighten the load. Make the burden easier to bear. They didn’t do this to avoid work. They weren’t engaged in any kind of rebellion. They simply were asking for a bit of grace. Rehoboam sought out the wisdom of his counselors. His older, wiser counselors told him, “If you will be kind to this people and please them by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.” (2 Chronicles‬ ‭10‬:‭7‬ ‭CSB‬‬) They had seen the demands Solomon had placed on them for decades and knew the people were at their breaking point. All Rehoboam had to do was show a little kindness. Speak words of understanding. Offer mercy and grace and help in their time of need. Had he done that, he would have won over the people forever and kept his kingdom together. Unfortunately, Rehoboam listened to his peers. He followed the advice of his younger, more foolish and entitled counselors who told him to increase his hold on the people. Tighten his grip. Brook no challenge to his authority. The result was division and outright rebellion from which the nation never recovered.

I find the same dynamics to be true in our world today. The more use power and control and authority to get our way, the more bitterness and anger and frustration we create. The more we turn to force, the more it backfires on us. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. When we reject kindness and gentleness and humility for spite and force and pride, we can expect there to be a backlash every single time. People will mirror the behavior they see in us. It could be our spouse. It could be our kids. It could be our friends. It could be our enemies. It happens in homes and communities and schools and churches and businesses and nations all over the earth. The result is always division. Always dissension. Always conflict. Perhaps that’s why the Apostle Paul is quick to remind the Roman Christians that it is God’s kindness that leads to repentance. He is quick to remind them of the gentleness and humility of Christ in the face of our own hatred and anger and violent rebellion. Kindness leads to repentance. Gentleness turns away wrath. Humility seeks to serve rather than be served. This is the way of Jesus.

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Chronicles 13-17, Psalms 74

The Power of Humility

Readings for today: Jeremiah 37-39, Psalms 23

There is a prayer I pray almost daily called the “Litany of Humility.” It’s been around for a few hundred years now and it serves as a great reminder as to the power of humility. It begins by asking the Lord Jesus - Himself meek and humble of heart - to hear the prayer. It then runs through a list of qualities for which we need deliverance. We need Jesus to deliver us from the desire to be esteemed, loved, extolled, praised, preferred to others, consulted, approved by our peers, etc. Next it turns to our fears. We need Jesus to deliver us from the fear of being humiliated, despised, rejected, forgotten, ridiculed, wronged, suspected, and having our reputation attacked. Finally, the prayer asks Jesus to grant us humility by reshaping our desires so that we would lift others up above ourselves. I thought about this prayer this morning as I read through what Jeremiah had to experience towards the end of his life.

Jeremiah has been faithful. He has faithful and boldly and courageously preached God’s Word at a tumultuous time in Israel’s history. The glory of Israel is fading. They have abandoned their faith in God. They have broken every commandment. They have become just like the pagan nations that surround them. Now the Babylonians are at the gate. Their doom is near. And Jeremiah finds himself in and out of several different prisons. His life is in danger. His enemies want to see him destroyed. He is accused of sedition and treason. But Jeremiah is humble. Gone are his protests against God. He no longer wrestles with his call. He has fully submitted to the Lord’s will at this point in his life. He will speak God’s Word no matter the cost. This is the power of humility. It’s reaching a point in your life where the world no longer has any hold on you. The powers of this world no longer have anything to offer you. You are beyond the reach of wealth, position, power, influence. You no longer desire to be esteemed, loved, or approved by others. You no longer fear for yourself. You know you are in God’s hands.

Where do you find yourself today? Are you a humble person or does pride still have a foothold in your life? I know as much I pursue humility and ask God for humility, I still have so far to go. I can always tell when I’m struggling with pride. The signs are obvious to me. I start to show off for others. I start to self-promote. I inflate my own sense of self-importance. I seek the approval of others. I look for ways to insert myself into positions of influence. These are things I must confess to the Lord but even more important is to continually ask the Spirit to set me free. To re-order my desires that I may experience the power of humility in my own life and fully surrender myself to Him.

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 40-44, Psalms 24

More Humility

Readings for today: Proverbs 22-24, Psalms 5

There is nothing in this world that more humility won’t solve. There is no problem that cannot be tackled if all parties come to the table with open hands, open hearts, and open minds. We can talk about anything if we are willing to relinquish our need to protect our ego. Unfortunately, humility is one of the most difficult qualities to cultivate in our world today. From the moment we wake up until we go to bed, we are inundated with messages to put ourselves first, take care of ourselves first, and guard ourselves against anyone who would offer a critique. We have been conditioned to react rather than thoughtfully respond which means our conversations are often over-heated and unproductive and only perpetuate conflict, fear, hurt, and brokenness. Our pride is so costly. I’ve seen it cost people their marriages and families. I’ve seen it break apart businesses and cause people to lose their jobs. I’ve seen it split churches and small groups. Once you start down the road of pride, it’s hard to find the exit ramp.

Perhaps that’s why the Bible promotes the virtue of humility so often. It’s almost like we can’t hear it enough. “Humility, the fear of the Lord, results in wealth, honor, and life.” (Proverbs‬ ‭22‬:‭4‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Can God be any more clear? He promises to reward those who are humble with wealth and honor and life. Don’t make the mistake of thinking humility is a means to an end. If that’s how you read this verse, you are still fostering pride and ego. No, this verse is simply pointing to the fact that those who are humble and fear the Lord can be trusted with wealth and honor and life because they aren’t driven by these things. And because they aren’t driven by these things, they don’t play the comparison game. And because they don’t play the comparison game, what passes for “wealth and honor and life” can look different depending on the context.

When you read a verse like Proverbs 22:4, where you do find yourself focusing? Is it on the back half? Wealth and honor and life? If so, let me encourage you to confess to the Lord and ask His Spirit to purify you of your pride. If you find yourself focusing on the first half of the verse, then you are probably on the right track. Ask the Spirit to keep you there and to continue His sanctifying work within you.

Readings for tomorrow: Proverbs 25-27, Psalms 6 (No devotionals on Sundays)

The Danger of Pride

Readings for today: Proverbs 19-21, Psalms 4

There is no greater sin than pride. Pride lies at the root of all sin. It was pride caused Satan to fall from grace and glory when the heavens were young. It was pride that caused Adam and Eve to reject God’s command and go their own way. Cain’s pride was wounded so he killed Abel. It was Joseph’s pride that got him in trouble with his brothers. In his pride, Moses thought he could deliver Israel without God. Saul, in his pride, refused to make right sacrifices. David’s pride caused him to number Israel so he could see how powerful he was. Solomon, in his pride, thought he could worship lots of different gods and still remain faithful to Yahweh. Over and over again in the Scriptures, we see pride creep up in God’s people with devastating effect.

Pride is still our greatest sin. Pride makes us think we know best how to live our lives. Pride makes us think we can stand in judgment over God’s Word and determine what is relevant. Pride makes us think we are like God, discerning good from evil. But how’s that working out? When we look at the world around us, is it not pride that is the root cause of the violence? The suffering? The pain? Is it not the pride of nations that causes them to go to war? Is it not the pride of privilege that causes some to look down on others? Is it not the pride of wealth that causes us to accumulate more and more while others go without? Is it not pride that drives our decision-making on a daily basis? We do what’s best for us first without a thought for others. Haughty. Proud. Wicked. Scoffer. Arrogant. These are the labels God uses for us when we fall into this trap.

So what’s the answer? Humility. Not thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought. Or less of ourselves than we ought. But simply thinking of ourselves less. When we think of ourselves “less.” When we consider others before we consider ourselves. When we have the same mind that was in Christ Jesus who – though He was God – did not consider His prerogatives as God something to hold onto. We begin to become humble. We take on the form of a servant. We begin to look like Jesus. And humility comes with its own reward. “The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.” (Prov. 22:4‬) God blesses the humble. God blesses those who put Him first. Who put others first. He grants them His favor and they often find the very things they were chasing so hard after coming into their life. The difference, of course, is that these things no longer have any hold on us because Christ now has the tighter grip.

So are you a humble or a prideful person? Are you the kind of person who needs compliments? Needs to be told how good you are? Are you the kind of person who hates compliments? Hates it when you are recognized for something you did? Both are signs of pride, friends. Are you the kind of person who struggles to receive rebuke? Correction? Critique? Do you grow resentful and angry? Are you the kind of person who crumbles at the first sign of disapproval? All are signs of pride, friends. God wants you to think of yourself less. The truly humble person accepts honor and praise for the things they do well because they recognize God has blessed them. The truly humble person is generous with praise of others. Looks for opportunities to build others up. Looks for ways to share the glory while taking responsibility for any failures. The truly humble person rejects any attempt of the enemy to make them feel worthless, afraid, or of less value in the eyes of God. A truly humble person is free because they do not live for praise nor in fear of praise.

Readings for tomorrow: Proverbs 22-24, Psalms 5

Humility

Readings for today: Job 40-42, Psalms 146

Worship is intimately tied to humility. In fact, I would argue it is essential. It’s why we struggle to worship. It’s why we struggle to develop a passion for worship. We have little to no understanding of the vastness and splendor and overwhelming majesty of God. We also have little to no understanding of the depths of our sin and brokenness and weakness and insignificance in this universe. We think too highly of ourselves and too little of God. This is why worship can seem so foreign and so boring. This is why we struggle to find any consistent connection with God. The final chapters of Job offer an antidote to our pride. They reframe our understanding of our position in the world. They put us in our place.

I love how Job responds to God. “The Lord answered Job: Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who argues with God give an answer. Then Job answered the Lord: I am so insignificant. How can I answer you? I place my hand over my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not reply; twice, but now I can add nothing.” (Job‬ ‭40‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭CSB) Job is humble. Job acknowledges his insignificance. Job sees the error of his ways. He knows he has no right to demand anything from God. “Then Job replied to the Lord: I know that you can do anything and no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, “Who is this who conceals my counsel with ignorance?” Surely I spoke about things I did not understand, things too wondrous for me to know. You said, “Listen now, and I will speak. When I question you, you will inform me.” I had heard reports about you, but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore, I reject my words and am sorry for them; I am dust and ashes.” (Job‬ ‭42‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Job repents of his ignorance. He repents of his foolishness. He repents of speaking of things to wonderful and infinite for him to know. Job sees God and bows before Him. Job hears God and kneels in the dust and ashes.

I have often thought it would be good to read these final chapters from Job on a daily basis. Just to remind myself of who God is as Creator and who I am as creature. It is healthy to know my limits. It is good to know my place in God’s world. It takes all the pressure off to know how deeply insignificant I am in comparison to God. To know how weak and ignorant I am when it comes to the things of this world. For all my knowledge and understanding. For all my training and education. For all my experience and travels in the world. I know so very little. I am able to do so very little. The impact I make is so very small. And yet - because of God - there is a ripple created that He uses to change so many things. Because of God, even the faith of a mustard seed can move mountains. Because of God, even the meager offering a few loaves and a few fish can feed thousands. Because of God, even the smallest and most insignificant acts carry eternal weight and glory. When I repent of my pride and arrogance. When I empty myself of all my selfishness and greed. When I bow before the Lord and kneel in the dust and ashes of my own life, God is more than able to fill me and restore me and take me to heights I’ve never dreamed of and show me things I could never have conceived of on my own. When I am weak, He is strong. When I am ignorant, He is wise. All He asks for is trust.

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 1-2, 147

Humility

Readings for today: Zephaniah 1-3, Psalms 134

I once knew a man who gave up a six figure income here in the US to return to his native country of Rwanda where he did not draw a salary for three straight years. He went from being in the top 1% of the world’s wealthiest people to the bottom 1% of the world’s poor. He gave up security and safety to live in danger and place his family at risk. He gave up power and influence and privilege in one of the world’s most significant NGO’s to work among those who have been forgotten. When I expressed my admiration for such a sacrifice, his response was confusion. “What sacrifice?” he said. “My life is not my own. My life has never been my own. My life is in the hands of God to do with as He wills.” This, friends, is true humility. 

“Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth, who carry out what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be concealed on the day of the Lord’s anger.” (Zephaniah‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬ ‭CSB‬‬) It is hard to overstate the importance of humility to the Christian faith. Humility is what keeps us grounded before the Lord. Humility is what keeps us dependent on Him. Humility is what opens our hands and our hearts, allowing us to release those things in which we too often place our trust. Wealth. Health. Power. Privilege. Status. Authority. Pride. We are fools to place our trust in these things and yet it is so hard to resist temptation. We who have so much actually fall prey to our own desires. Our ability to gratify those desires instantaneously only serves to tighten our bonds. Thinking we are free, we choose to become slaves and there’s nothing more pitiful than a free man or woman choosing to remain in bondage. Nothing more heartbreaking than sitting in a cell with the door wide open, refusing to leave. This is the state we find ourselves in today. Our culture has made Self a “god” and the result is entitlement. Narcissism. Selfishness. Greed. And far too many of us worship at this altar. 

So how do we resist this temptation? How can we uproot Self out of the center of our lives and re-focus our devotion around God? Humility. The fundamental recognition that my life is not my own. My future is not mine to determine. My hopes are not set on the limited horizons of this world. My happiness does not come from chasing temporal pleasures. Humility honors God as sovereign over all of life, including my own. Humility submits. Humility surrenders. Humility bows before the God of the universe and willingly entrusts Him with all that we are and all that we have. This is the secret that my friend understood. He owned nothing. Not his house. Not his salary. Not his job. Not his family. Not his lifestyle. Not his degrees. Not his professional success. Not his future. None of it was his to hold onto. All of it came from God and all of it was used by God as He wills for His good pleasure. So when God called him to leave Colorado Springs and move to Kigali to help his people recover from the genocide, he went. No questions asked. The Master called. My friend answered. The King issued a command. My friend obeyed. The Father made an appeal. My friend responded in faith. Though life has been much harder. Much more difficult. Much more painful and heartbreaking. He has no regrets.  

Humility. Not just an attitude of the heart. Not just a thought process in the mind. But a way of life. It means holding onto the things of this world loosely, knowing the Lord may require them at any time. It means holding onto our hopes and dreams loosely, knowing the Lord may change course at any time. It means holding onto even our pain and heartbreaks and suffering loosely, knowing the Lord often leads His people through such experiences to teach them of His sufficiency. It means holding onto our strength and safety and security loosely, knowing the Lord may demand even our lives at any time. 

Now all this may sound very scary. Very frightening if this has not been your path. Here’s the good news. God doesn’t ask for blind obedience. He doesn’t require us to step into the great unknown. He gives a promise to all who walk humbly before Him. “The Lord your God is among you, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will quiet you in his love. He will delight in you with singing. I will gather those who have been driven from the appointed festivals; they will be a tribute from you and a reproach on her. Yes, at that time I will deal with all who oppress you. I will save the lame and gather the outcasts; I will make those who were disgraced throughout the earth receive praise and fame. At that time I will bring you back, yes, at the time I will gather you. I will give you fame and praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes. The Lord has spoken.” (Zephaniah‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬-‭20‬ ‭CSB‬‬‬) God can be trusted. God is true to His Word. His faithfulness never ends. His love never fails. Simply believe and let God take you by the hand today. 

Readings for tomorrow: Job 1-3, Psalms 135 (No devotionals on Sundays)

Accepting our Place

Readings for today: Amos 1-5, Psalms 126

I’ve been listening to a great podcast recently called, “Unbelievable?” The show brings together Christians and non-Christians, theists and atheists, religious and secularists to discuss a variety of topics. They come from all across the spectrum socially and politically. They represent some of the best thinking today on issues like the problem of evil, the dangers of AI, just war, faith and politics, etc. It’s really amazing to listen to participants debate back and forth. One of the fundamental differences that comes up over and over again is who is responsible for the evil and pain and suffering in the world. For the atheist, there is no one responsible. The world is the way that it is. It’s a closed system and everything can be explained through natural or material processes. There really is no such thing as a natural disaster. It’s simply nature being nature. Volcanoes erupt. Earthquakes shake the ground. Hurricanes whip the ocean into a frenzy. Mass extinction events happen with some degree of regularity. While this argument has some degree of internal consistency, it is clearly inadequate for most people. For the Christian, responsibility is split between two entities. First, we believe in a supernatural being we call “the satan” or the accuser. A fallen angel who is the Father of lies and the author of evil and who does all he can to weave death and destruction and entropy and chaos into the fabric of all God has made. Second, humanity. A creature made in God’s own image who embraced rebellion and sin at the dawn of creation and who continues to wreak havoc on all God has made as he/she pursues his/her own selfish ends. This argument too has internal consistency but also proves inadequate for most people. Most people find themselves somewhere between these two poles. On the one hand, we don’t want to bear the responsibility for how our actions lead to so much suffering in the world so we tend to reject the Christian point of view. On the other hand, we cannot seem to escape the existential feeling that something is terribly wrong or horribly broken about the world so we tend to reject the atheist point of view.

The Bible is clear. “For three crimes, even four” God will not relent from punishing the nations. “For three crimes, even four” God will not withhold judgment even from His chosen people. We are guilty. God makes that abundantly clear. We are responsible. God is direct and honest and forthright about it. We are at fault and in the wrong and God will hold us accountable. I talk to lots of people in my line of work. Christians and non-Christians alike. Progressives and conservatives. Marxists and capitalists. Democrats and Republicans. Young and old. Rich and poor. People of different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. One of the things they all seem to have in common is an inner resistance to the idea that they are guilty of crimes against God. They seemingly have no problem seeing how other people could be credibly accused but they struggle to see it in themselves. The same was true for our ancient near east ancestors. It didn’t matter whether they lived in Damascus or Gaza, Tyre, Edom or Moab, even Israel and Judah! No one wanted to acknowledge their culpability before God. Even when God brings all kinds of judgment in the form of famine, drought, blight, or plagues; they still refused to humble themselves and change their ways. And what is God’s response? One would think He would completely out those who rebel against His rule and reign. But that’s not what happens. Instead, God comes to them. God reveals Himself to them. All in an effort to draw them back to Himself. “Therefore, Israel…prepare to meet your God! He is here: the one who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals his thoughts to man, the one who makes the dawn out of darkness and strides on the heights of the earth. The Lord, the God of Armies, is his name.” (Amos‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭CSB)

Friends, not much has changed in the thousands of years since Amos walked onto the scene. Humanity still rebels against God, still struggles to accept responsibility for our crimes against our Creator. Thankfully, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. There is no shadow or turning in Him. He is eternally consistent and unchangeable. Rather than judge us and destroy us, He comes to us. He reveals Himself to us in the Person of Jesus Christ. All in an effort to draw us back to Himself. He has defeated the powers of sin and death and the devil and is even now working through humanity to restore all He has made. God’s great desire is to restore us to our rightful place within His created order but for that to happen, we need to humble ourselves and submit to His will and ways.

Readings for tomorrow: Amos 6-9, Psalms 127

Humility is a Super-Power

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 25-27, Psalms 85

I am convinced humility is a super-power. I believe it was former President Harry Truman who once said, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.” I believe him. It’s certainly squares with my experience. When I have been willing to lay aside pride and ego, the impact of whatever is accomplished grows exponentially. When I have been willing to relinquish my rights for the sake of others, especially those in less powerful positions, all kinds of new opportunities emerge. When I have been willing to let go of control and work collaboratively and share authority and extend freedom, we reach heights I’ve never dreamed possible.

Imagine what could have happened if Nabal had welcomed David’s servants? Imagine if he had honored David for protecting his men when they were grazing his flocks in the wilderness? Imagine if he had been open rather than closed? Generous rather than selfish? Imagine if he had extended hospitality rather than close his doors? Tragically, Nabal chose the path of pride rather than humility and it eventually cost him his life. He hardened his heart and fell under God’s judgment. His choices almost led to a violence conflict and it was only the humility of his wife, Abigail, who averted a war. Abigail turned aside David’s anger by showing humility. She was generous and open-handed with him, interceding on behalf of her stubborn husband. She took matters into her own hands and intervened in order to stave off disaster and God honored her for her sacrifice.

You can live life in one of two directions. Either you will say to God, “Thy will be done” or God will say to you, “thy will be done.” You will either humble yourself before the Lord and live generously and open-handedly or you will harden your heart and live pridefully and selfishly. There really is no middle ground. Those who choose the latter path find themselves on the same trajectory as Nabal. Their hearts eventually turn to stone and they die with no one to mourn their passing. Those who choose the former path find themselves on the same trajectory as Abigail. Their lives are rich and full and when they pass, many come to mourn them. Which path do you find yourself on today? Is your heart softening towards God? Are you becoming more generous and more humble with each passing year? Is your heart hardening towards God? Do you find yourself becoming more selfish and prideful with each passing year?

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 28-31, Psalms 86

Humility

Readings for today: Judges 6-8, Psalms 72

One of my favorite books is by Andrew Murray. It’s a classic titled Humility. A short little read with insights packed into every page. Here is how he defines humility. “Humility is nothing but the disappearance of self in the vision that God is all...The highest glory of the creature is in being only a vessel, to receive and enjoy and show forth the glory of God. It can do this only as it is willing to be nothing in itself, that God may be all. Water always fills first the lowest places. The lower, the emptier a man lies before God, the speedier and the fuller will be the inflow of the divine glory.”

I think we can all agree humility is a virtue sorely lacking in our world today. The spirit of our age is arrogance, pride, criticism, entitlement, and self-indulgence. It infects our politics. It infects our workplaces. It infects our schools, our homes, our neighborhoods, even our churches. It’s the spirit of the Pharisee. The spirit of self-righteousness. An unwillingness to submit to any other authority in our lives except our own. This includes God. Sure, we know how to say the right things. “God is first in my life!” “I love God the most!” “God is my all in all!” We sing songs that declare these truths. We sit through sermons where these truths are proclaimed. We tell these things to our Christian friends. But one look at our schedule. One look at our bank account. A glance at our Twitter feed, Instagram, or Facebook account. A moment of honest self-reflection. All these conspire to reveal what we really believe. We are our own gods. 

Gideon was different. Not perfect. Not blameless in his generation. Not powerful and mighty among men. No, what marked him was his humility. The angel of the Lord found him treading out grain in a winepress. Providing for his family at great risk to himself. When the Lord called him to become the next judge over Israel, Gideon echoes Moses at the burning bush. “Who am I that you would send me?” So unsure of himself, he puts God to the test by laying out a fleece not once but twice! God honors his humble heart. Gideon was humble enough to place his faith and trust into action. He tears down the altar of Baal. He sends almost his entire army home before a major battle. And then, when confronted at the beginning of Judges 8 by the Ephraimites who wanted to claim the glory, he humbles himself before them and honors them. It’s a stunning display. Finally, when it is all said and done, the people want to make him king. He refuses the crown. He refuses to take God’s rightful place in their lives. In the words of Murray, Gideon understood “the highest glory of the creature is in being only a vessel, to receive and enjoy and show forth the glory of God.” 

What about us? What does humility look like in our own lives? Surely, it is more than words. It is life lived intentionally under the sovereign authority of God. A life lost in the vision that God is all. A life lived before God, submitted to God, surrendered to God. What does such a life look like in the 21st century? It is a life of worship. Personal worship. Weekly worship with a church family. It is a life of Sabbath rest. It is a life of prayer. It is a life of reflection on the Scriptures. It is a life of service to the Kingdom. It is a life of devotion to our Lord. It is a life that intentionally directs all its resources - time, talent, treasure - towards God. It is a life that engages the world while remaining set apart. A life of risk where safety and comfort are sacrificed for the sake of the gospel. 

Readings for tomorrow: Judges 9-12, Psalms 73

Humble Leadership

Readings for today: Numbers 14-16, Psalms 44

What qualities do you look for in a leader? What kind of leader do you vote for, follow, or admire? One can draw all kinds of conclusions simply based on what leaders are the most popular or who gets platformed. In politics, it seems clear that we admire the leaders who project the most strength. We look for leaders who have the guts to stand up for what we believe in and fight against our political enemies. We look for leaders who can score the most points, denigrating their opponents. We look for leaders who confirm our bias and affirm our worst fears. I see the same thing in business, education, and sadly, in the church as well. Those pastors who seem to be the strongest and most certain and most successful are the ones who get the most attention. Even though they also fall at an alarming rate, we excuse their behavior and restore them quickly to their positions of influence and power.

Now consider the leadership of Moses. The man is as humble as it gets. How many time does he save Israel through his prayers of intercession? How many times does he stand in the gap before God as their mediator? How many times does he fall on his face before the Lord in humility rather than fight back against those who reject him or even seek to stone him? He’s simply incredible and it’s because he has a healthy, God-centered view of himself. He doesn’t think more highly of himself than he ought. He doesn’t think less of himself than he ought. He simply thinks of himself less. That’s humility. That’s the very definition of humble leadership.

I do my best to follow examples like Moses. Thankfully, I’ve had several mentors over the course of my life and one of the qualities almost all of them shared was humility. Steve Hayner was the president of Intervarsity and the president of Columbia Theological Seminary when he took me under his wing. A more humble man I have never met. Bud Sparling was a pastor at the church I serve for over fifteen years. He was an incredible man with an incredible testimony and humble to the core. Don Bachman is a highly successful businessman and one of the most passionate believers in Christ I’ve ever been around but what strikes me the most from meeting with him for almost thirty years now is his humility. I can only hope to attain to the level of humility each of these mentors have achieved. They remind me of godly men like Moses. Godly women like Mary. Godly people who do not seek their own good but instead, seek to love God and love others with all their hearts.

Readings for tomorrow: Numbers 17-18, Psalms 45

A Humble Life

Readings for today: 1 Corinthians 12-14

One of the curses of our current age is self-righteousness. Whether we’re talking politics or social issues or cultural norms or personality traits, there is this drive within all of us to be right in our own eyes. And this need to be right or righteous is elevated to an almost sacred level which means anyone who may disagree with us is wrong. And not just wrong but unrighteous which means they’re evil. And if they’re evil, they cannot be tolerated and must be destroyed. We see this dynamic on display in the rhetoric from many of our current political leaders who claim those who differ from them are out to “destroy democracy” or are enemies of America. This dynamic seems jet fueled by social media which only serves to channel outrage and hatred and anger. This, unsurprisingly, leads to violence and conflict which is justified if it serves your particular agenda but gets labeled an insurrection if it doesn’t. One would think with all the information we have at our fingertips that we would humbly acknowledge the deep complexities of our world and other human beings. One would think because we all share the same fundamental nature that we would assume the best of one another rather than the worst. Sadly, this approach to life seems beyond us.

Of all people, Christians should understand the danger of self-righteousness. We should be the first to relinquish the need to be right in our own eyes. We understand, as the Apostle Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians 13:12-13 MSG, that “We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist.” This side of heaven, we don’t have a clear view of ourselves much less the world around us. We can only see the outward appearance of a person, we cannot see their hearts. And this should create a deep sense of humility within all of us. A willingness to let go of the need to justify ourselves. A deep longing for the day when “the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!“ On that great day, every wrong will be righted…not by us but by God. Every injustice will be rectified…not by us but by God. Every tear will be wiped away…not by us but by God. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t work for these things in the here and now - of course we should - it simply means we should approach these issues with humility, recognizing the deep complexities of the human condition that lead us to our choices.

I love how Paul describes the way we work for justice and righteousness in our world. He says, “But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.” Trust God. Always hope. And love as generously and lavishly and unconditionally as possible. What a great recipe for life! I know in my own life, things changed for the better in my marriage and with my kids when I decided to approach them with love rather than the law. When I let go of my need to be right and instead chose the way of love and encouragement and blessing. The arguments in my home went away. The conflict in my home died down. The tension and stress decreased significantly. It doesn’t mean we don’t speak the truth to each other. On the contrary, we have family meetings quite often where we have to talk about hard things. But we always do so with love first. We find ways to affirm and encourage first. We hug first. We seek to understand rather than be understood. We seek to meet the other person where they’re at rather than demand they meet us where we’re at. We recognize we don’t often know all that’s going on in that other person’s heart and we give them room to express what they are feeling. Ultimately, we show each other a lot of grace and trust the Lord to do the work only He can do in each of our hearts.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 15-16

A Life Parable

Readings for today: Luke 14-15

I used to be that guy. The one who would elbow his way to the highest place of honor no matter what the occasion. At work, I would weigh in on every matter whether I knew what I was talking about or not. At school, I would try to answer every question. On the athletic field, I did my best to stand out. My god was achievement. My goal was success. My greatest fear was failure. All because I wanted to be known. I wanted to be praised. I wanted to be the center of attention. This was true in my work as a pastor as well. When I went to seminary, I felt like I had something to prove so I did my best to outwork and outshine my classmates. After I graduated and started serving the church, I would look for opportunities to demonstrate I was more effective than my colleagues. I was constantly in competition with those around me. Constantly on the lookout for potential threats. It was exhausting. Then the Lord called me to plant a church in Wisconsin. It was the most painful, heartbreaking experience of my life. He crucified my ego. He broke me of my pride. He stripped my life down to the studs. I had nothing left. I was at the end of myself. I was a complete and utter failure.

Perhaps that’s why I resonate so much with the parable Jesus tells in Luke 14. I spent most of my life trying to claim the seat of highest honor only to have the Lord send me back to some of the lowest places over and over again. I was put in my place frequently by those with much more experience at work. My teachers stopped calling on me at school. My athletic career eventually ended as those better than me took my place. Even among my pastoral colleagues, I often made a fool of myself. Then, when things were falling apart in Wisconsin, I remember reading this story and thinking to myself, “Wow, God has sent me to the lowest possible place. Where do I go from here?” The answer comes at the end of the parable. Seek the lowest place. Don’t try to raise yourself up. Stop competing with those around you. Stop jockeying for position. Stop trying to prove yourself. Instead, embrace obscurity and anonymity and insignificance and let the Master raise you up.

Honestly, I’ve not looked back. My life from the fall of 2009 onward has been one grace after another. As soon as I relinquished my need to be successful, my need for achievement, and my need for attention, I became far more open to God. Instead of exhausting myself trying to show everyone how smart and capable I am, I was able to let go. God spoke to me very clearly, commanding me to labor in obscurity, embrace anonymity, and pursue insignificance. These three words have guided my life ever since. Not only that, but He made it clear to me that I am not to seek another position nor ask for another raise. Instead, I am simply to trust Him to take care of me. Every opportunity I’ve had professionally over the last fifteen years has come from the Lord. I have not pursued a single one. Every financial blessing I’ve received from my church has come from the Lord. I’ve not asked for a single raise. In fact, I’ve turned several down. These are not points of pride for me but rather examples of what it means to live out the parable of Jesus. What about you? Where do you need to relinquish and let go? Where do you need to stop your striving and rest in God? Where do you need to give up control so the Lord can raise you up in His time and according to His will?

Readings for tomorrow: Matthew 19, Mark 10:1-31, Luke 16-17, 18:1-30

Humility

Readings for today: Zephaniah 1-3

I once met a man who gave up a six figure income here in the US to return to his native country where he did not draw a salary for three straight years. He went from being in the top 1% of the world’s wealthiest people to the bottom 1% of the world’s poor. He gave up security and safety to live in danger and place his family at risk. He gave up power and influence and privilege in one of the world’s most significant NGO’s to work among those who have been forgotten. When I expressed my admiration for such a sacrifice, his response was confusion. “What sacrifice?” he said. “My life is not my own. My life has never been my own. My life is in the hands of God to do with as He wills.” This, friends, is true humility and it’s what Zephaniah talks about in our passage for today. “I’ll leave a core of people among you who are poor in spirit - what’s life of Israel that’s really Israel. They’ll make their home in God.” (Zephaniah 3:12 MSG) It is hard to overstate the importance of humility to the Christian faith. Humility is what keeps us grounded before the Lord. Humility is what keeps us dependent on Him. Humility is what opens our hands and our hearts, allowing us to release the things in which we too often place our trust. Wealth. Health. Power. Privilege. Status. Authority. Pride. We are fools to place our trust in these things and yet it is so hard to resist temptation. We who have so much actually fall prey to our own desires. Our ability to gratify those desires instantaneously only serves to tighten our bonds. Thinking we are free, we choose to become slaves and there’s nothing more pitiful than a free man or woman choosing to remain in bondage. Nothing more heartbreaking than sitting in a cell with the door wide open, refusing to leave. This is the state we find ourselves in today. Our culture has made Self a “god” and the result is entitlement. Narcissism. Selfishness. Greed. Self-protection. And far too many of us worship at this altar. 

So how do we resist this temptation? How can we uproot Self out of the center of our lives and re-focus our devotion around God? Humility. The fundamental recognition that my life is not my own. My future is not mine to determine. My hopes are not set on the limited horizons of this world. My happiness does not come from chasing temporal pleasures. Humility honors God as sovereign over all of life, including my own. Humility submits. Humility surrenders. Humility bows before the God of the universe and willingly entrusts Him with all that we are and all that we have. This is the secret that my friend understood. He owned nothing. Not his house. Not his salary. Not his job. Not his family. Not his lifestyle. Not his degrees. Not his professional success. Not his future. None of it was his to own. All of it came from God and all of it was used by God as He willed for His good pleasure. So when God called him to leave adopted home and move back to his native country to help his people recover from a genocide, he went. No questions asked. The Master called. My friend answered. The King issued a command. My friend obeyed. The Father made an appeal. My friend responded in faith. Though life has been much harder. Much more difficult. Much more painful and heartbreaking. He has no regrets.  

Humility. It’s not just an attitude of the heart. Not just a thought process in the mind. It is a way of life. It means holding onto the things of this world loosely, knowing the Lord may require them at any time. It means holding onto our hopes and dreams loosely, knowing the Lord may change course at any time. It means holding onto even our pain and heartbreaks and suffering loosely, knowing the Lord often leads His people through such experiences to teach them of His sufficiency. It means holding onto our strength and safety and security loosely, knowing the Lord may demand our lives at any given moment.

Now all this may sound scary. Frightening if this has not been your path. Here’s the good news. God doesn’t ask for blind obedience. He doesn’t require us to step into the great unknown. He gives this promise to all who walk humbly before Him...“Don’t be afraid. Dear Zion, don’t despair. Your God is present among you, a strong Warrior there to save you. Happy to have you back, He’ll calm you with His love and delight you with His songs.” (Zephaniah 3:16-17 MSG) God can be trusted. God is true to His Word. His faithfulness never ends. His love never fails. Simply believe and let God take you by the hand today. 

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 22-23, 2 Chronicles 34-35

No One is an Island

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 22-23, Psalm 57

President Harry Truman once said, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you don’t care who gets the credit.” Truer words were never spoken. Over the course of my life, I’ve had seasons where I tried to do it all myself. Tried to achieve it all myself. Tried to shoulder the burden all myself. Tried to hoard all the credit for myself. Those are some of the worst seasons of my life. Seasons where I experienced burnout and depression and frustration and anger. Seasons where I was exhausted and on the verge of giving up. Those seasons fed the unhealthy “hero complex” that lurks inside me, a vestige of growing up as the oldest child in an alcoholic home, and it threatens to poison everything I do. Thankfully, God confronted me years ago through a wise and discerning counselor. He told me clearly that He “opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” and He challenged me to embrace obscurity, anonymity, and insignificance. To let go of my need to be the best. To let go of my need for recognition. To let go of my need to perform or appear perfect. He charged me with celebrating those around me. Lifting others up. Decreasing so that others might increase. Taking the lowest place so that I might rejoice as those around me might be loved more than I, esteemed more than I, and preferred over me in all things. The result? A profound sense of personal freedom. The building up of the church into the community she was designed and created by God to be. Greater Kingdom impact through those I’ve been able to equip, encourage, help, and celebrate over the years.

I imagine David must have felt the same way. It’s why he made sure to give credit where it was due. First and foremost to God. 2 Samuel 22 is a beautiful song of praise declaring the wonders and glories of God. David takes no credit for himself for his life. He gives it all to God. He understands it was God who lifted him up out of the shepherds fields. It was God who gave him victory after victory in his life. It was God who anointed him king and made him ruler over Israel. It was God who made his name great and secured a future for his household. Secondly, David understood none of what had taken place would have been possible without the strong leaders God put around him. The Three. The Thirty. The mighty men who accomplished incredible feats of valor and led his armies in battle. Without them, David would have been nothing. David would have come to nothing. So he makes sure to spread the credit around. He makes sure their names are recorded in the history books so they are never forgotten. He even chronicles some of their most famous exploits, deeds that rival his own. David is clearly in a humble place here at the end of his life.

What about you? Do you give credit to God for all He has done in your life or do you believe your achievements are due to your own strength, talent, and wisdom? Do you honor God for all He has given you or do you hoard the credit for yourself? When people take a glance at your social media feeds or engage in conversation with you or observe the way you act; what do they see? Someone who’s all about self-promotion? Or someone who deflects and gives glory to God and others? Do you find yourself clinging to titles and position and authority? Or do you leverage your influence in service to others? Do you celebrate those around you? Constantly lifting them up? Or do you remain silent as those around you get the credit? Jesus once said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Is that how you understand your life? Is that how you understand your calling from God?

No one is an island unto themselves. No one accomplishes or achieves on their own. The cultural idea that we each have to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps is nonsense. It’s a myth. All of us have help along the way and the humble man or woman readily shares the credit with God and with those around them.

Readings for tomorrow: None

Humility

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 7, 1 Chronicles 17, Psalms 1-2, 33, 127, 132

Humility is the crown of all character traits. It helps us maintain proper perspective. It keeps us in our proper position before the Lord. It is the key to living a joyful, peaceful Christian life. David was a humble man. At least at this point in his life. When God rejects David’s plan to build Him a Temple and instead tells David that He will build David a house, David immediately responds with humble prayer. “Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family that you have brought me this far?” (1 Samuel 7:18b NLT) Some might argue David’s getting the better end of the deal here so of course he submits but that’s not totally the case. Temples in the ancient world were symbols of divine power and authority. They granted divine sanction to the rule of kings. There is a loss here for David that’s fairly significant in that he will not enjoy the same kind of “divine right of kingship” that many of his peers would in other cultures. At the same time, David is wise enough and humble enough to realize his “divine right” doesn’t come from a building but from the Lord. He expresses complete confidence in God as the one who would “build” David’s house. “And now, O Lord God, I am your servant; do as you have promised concerning me and my family. Confirm it as a promise that will last forever.” (1 Samuel 7:25 NLT) Not only that but David looks beyond himself to the true purposes behind God’s plans. It’s not to make David great but to make the name of the Lord great among the nations. This is why God is going to bless the household of David. “And may your name be honored for ever so that everyone will say, “The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is God over Israel!” (1 Samuel 7:26 NLT)

What is godly humility? It is first and foremost a recognition of our position before God. We are mere mortals. Our lives are like the grass that withers and fades away. We are forgotten within a generation or two. All that we accomplish in this life turns to dust pretty quickly. God, on the other hand, is the sovereign Lord of the universe. He holds all of life in His hands. He stands outside of time and space. He reigns in glory forever. There is truly none like God. Not in heaven. Not on earth. Not under the earth. Not in the past. Not in the present. Not in the future. God alone is worthy of all worship and adoration and reverence and awe for He is holy and awesome in power. Second, humility is expressed in our complete confidence that God will do what He has promised. David believed God when He said He would make David’s name great and build him a dynasty that would last for all generations. Like Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Leah and Rachel, Moses, Joshua, and all those who had come before him, David trusted God and it was credited to him as righteousness. He had full confidence that God was able to do what He had promised. Finally, humility never seeks to elevate self. It never engages in self-promotion. It never seeks attention. It always looks beyond itself to the true object of our devotion which is God Himself. The truly humble person places themselves in God’s hands to use as He sees fit for His glorious purposes in the world. They are willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of God’s mission in the world so that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

This begs the question…how does one become humble? How does one cultivate a spirit of humility? Psalm 1:2 gives us the answer. “They delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.” If you want to become a humble person before the Lord, the way to do it is to spend time in His Word every day. “Thrilling to God’s Word”, as Eugene Peterson says so beautifully in the Message, “Chewing on Scripture day and night.”

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 8-9, 1 Chronicles 18

Humble Leadership

Readings for today: Numbers 10-13, Psalm 90

There seems to be a yearning in the human heart for deep connection. To God. To other human beings. There is a real craving in the world today for authenticity. A desire to “be real” and be known. I hear it all the time and I feel it down in my bones as well. The problem, of course, is most folks don’t really want to engage on an authentic level because it’s not very pretty when we do! We run into all kinds of sin and ugliness and we’re not very good at accepting each other’s faults. We aren’t very good at showing each other grace. We aren’t very good at forgiveness and reconciliation because such things take a lot of work. So we settle. We settle for less in our human relationships. We settle for not being known. Not being understood. Not being connected. And worst of all, we settle in our relationship with God. We only let Him in so far. We only let Him reign and rule over parts of our lives, not the whole. We only submit halfway and the result is a lot of pain and suffering and heartache. 

Nothing’s new under the sun. The people of God have been struggling with these things for thousands of years. It’s like the struggle is hardwired into our system by the Fall. (Remember that tragic event in Genesis 3? It frames everything!) You think about the blessings Israel enjoyed. A literal pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day. God visibly present among them! God’s glory filling the Tabernacle. Moses literally speaking to God on their behalf. Silver trumpets blowing every time they went forth to remind them God would be with them. The parting of the Red Sea. The deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Rescue from the plagues. Manna in the wilderness. The miracles they experienced were incredible! And still they complained! Still they struggled to believe! Still they rebelled!

“And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp.” (Num. 11:1) 

“Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, "Oh that we had meat to eat!” (Num. 11:4)

“Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, "Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?" And the Lord heard it.” (Num. 12:1-2)

“And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them." (Num. 13:33)

Leading God’s people has never been easy. There is always complaining. Always whining. Always criticism. But guess what? That’s real! That’s authentic! That’s people being themselves. And if we’re honest, none of us are immune. Even Moses complains, “I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me.” (Num. 11:14) So what’s the answer? Humility. One of my favorite verses in all of Scripture is Numbers 12:3, “Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.” What a statement! Moses’ leadership was not based on his power or eloquence or influence or wealth or talent. It was based primarily on his humility. His meekness. And because Moses considered others more important than himself, he wasn’t threatened. God put His Spirit on other leaders. He wasn’t threatened when God’s Spirit showed up in other parts of the camp. Reminds me of the famous quote from Harry Truman, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.”  

Humility gives us the ability to accept other people for who they are...warts and all. It gives us the ability to extend grace even in difficult circumstances. It gives us the ability to address the log in our own eye first before we go to pluck the dust out of our brother or sister’s eyes. Most importantly, it is humility that allows us to submit our lives to the Lord and to follow in His ways.

Readings for tomorrow: Numbers 14-16, Psalm 95

Glory

Readings for today: John 1:1-3, Psalm 8, Psalm 104

Father, through Your Holy Spirit, open Your Word to me that I may meet you face to face, hear your voice, learn what you would have me learn, and grow ever deeper in my faith. I pray this in the name of Jesus, amen. 

As I read these words, I look out the window of a home high above Grand Lake. It’s winter. The snow has been falling the entire time we’ve been here. Our family is on their annual post-Christmas vacation to the mountains of Colorado. The lake is large and deep. Significant portions have yet to freeze over. The trees are laden with several inches of snow. The ground covered and every morning we can see the tracks of the animals who’ve passed by in the night. The stars at night have been covered by the clouds but normally they blaze with a brilliance we cannot see from our home in Parker. There’s just something about coming up here that brings us closer to God. Closer to our Creator. Gets us in touch with the wonder of all He has made. And it brings new meaning to the words, “what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:4) 

When I pause in the silence and solitude of a winter morning with my family still asleep and consider the blessings God has poured into my life, I am in awe. I enjoy the love of a godly woman who’s been at my side for almost thirty years. I have deep friendships with my four children, two of whom are now adults and launching out on their own. I am blessed by the relationships I have with my parents, in-laws, siblings and their families. I am financially secure. My body is healthy and strong. My mind is clear. I have the privilege of serving as pastor for an amazing church, alongside spiritual leaders I admire, and work with a group of people I get to call friends. I get to teach aspiring pastors at a local seminary. I get to travel the world to preach the gospel and train church planters to go to places where the name of Jesus has never been heard. I get to serve our denomination in a variety of capacities as we seek God’s will for the future of our life together. My life is rich and full. This must be the “glory and honor” the Psalmist is talking about. It’s less about titles and achievements and more about relationships and the opportunities God gives us to serve in His Kingdom. 

What keeps me from pride? What keeps human beings humble before the Lord? Here again, the Psalmist provides the answer. “I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 104:33-35) I keep my eyes focused on God. He gives and takes away. Surely I’ve had my dark moments along the way. Times when I wasn’t sure I could pay the bills. Times when my physical health wasn’t great. Times when my marriage was on the rocks. Times when my relationships with my children was strained to the point of breaking. Times when my professional career was in shambles. Yes, I’ve had my share of hard times. But in those moments, I discovered God at His most glorious! When I needed Him most, God was always there! Faithful. Steadfast. True. “In the beginning was the Word…” In our present darkness is the Word. At the end of all things will be the Word. He is the one who was and is and is to come! Place your trust in Him today!

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 3-5