Humbling The Proud

Only God can change the hearts of people, but that doesn't stop people from trying.  Some feel it is their hilarious duty to fire verbal barbs at others and after potentially embarrassing or wounding their target they say with a smile, "I was only joking!' or "Just keeping you humble!"  I have learned there are only two who are capable to humble me:  God and myself.  The scriptures say that God casts down the proud and gives grace to the humble.  It also says to believers, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the LORD, and He shall lift you up." (James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:5-7)  For any who take it upon yourself the task of keeping others humble, good luck.  All the luck in the world will do you no good.  You will discover your most vigilant efforts are futile and in doing so you trespass on God's sovereign territory.

The other night I finished reading the book of Job.  It was something God said towards the end of the book which made me consider again the idea of humbling others.  In God's address to Job, He bombarded him with questions he could not answer.  He also challenged him to do things which are impossible for men.  He said in Job 40:11-14, "Disperse the rage of your wrath; look on everyone who is proud, and humble him. ¹² Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low; tread down the wicked in their place. ¹³ Hide them in the dust together, bind their faces in hidden darkness. ¹⁴ Then I will also confess to you that your own right hand can save you."  Did you catch that?  God said, "Job, if you are able to humble the proud, you are able to save yourself."  Obviously Job was unable to save himself from his horrendous circumstances because there he sat in pain:  crying out to God in agony, scraping his diseased skin with a potsherd, lamenting the loss of his children, and arguing with his so-called friends.  Job knew without the favour of God he was doomed forever, and that is why he offered sacrifices not only for himself but for his children too.  God's words make it crystal clear:  the one who is able to humble the proud is also able to save himself.

Speaking for myself, I (like Job!) cannot save myself from sin, death, or hell.  Based on God's Word since I cannot save myself I obviously cannot humble the proud.  No amount of public humiliation or snide comments directed at me or towards others can accomplish this.  All human beings face the challenge of dealing with self:  selfishness, preoccupation with self, self-pity, and self-exaltation.  Only by being born again through faith in Jesus can we truly have victory over self and live in the way which pleases God.  If I can't save myself, I shouldn't take it upon myself to humble others.  I am called to humble myself, and with God's help I can.

Be Doing Good

The last time I visited Israel our guide said much that stayed with me.  One comment in particular stuck out about the differences between the religion of Judaism and Christianity.  He was a secular Israeli and made an observation I never considered before.  "Judaism is not a missionary religion like Christianity," he said.  "Christians want everyone to believe in Jesus, but the Orthodox Jews are not interested to have people join them.  They try to make following their religion as difficult as possible.  They don't want you."  While I can't say for certain he was correct concerning Orthodox Jews, he was accurate in his assessment of Christians.  Jesus has called us to be His witnesses and to go throughout the world, making disciples of all nations.  We, like our heavenly Father, desire all would repent and come to knowledge of the truth.

Our zeal to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ is often tempered with not knowing what to say.  One can never know how people will respond to the truth of scripture because of their background, perspective, or bias.  We would love to discover a "silver bullet" statement or point which can shoot unbelief dead at once.  But there is no silver bullet.  Salvation of souls is not through facts alone, techniques, a formula, or winning a debate.  The only way a mind that is already made up can be reached is through the power of the Holy Spirit, the truth of God's Word, and God's love in the life of a Christian.  If a picture is worth a thousand words, than love is worth a thousand pictures.  Love is active to do good for others, even when it is a costly sacrifice.  Facts might engage willing minds, but love touches the soul.

Our words are important, but it does not benefit to engage in useless debates with minds opposed to God.  Peter in his epistle pointed out the way to make a far greater impact by doing, not just speaking.  Peter 2:15-16 reads, "For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men-- ¹⁶ as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God."  Good doctrine must be accompanied by good deeds.  People have a lot of negative things to say about hypocritical or judgmental Christians, and rightly so.  But when the lives of Christians are above reproach and do good it silences criticism.  Men are left to ponder the reality of Jesus Christ in the life of a Christian, something clearly supernatural and not of this world.  Instead of engaging sceptics through arguments, it is God's will that by doing good they would be silenced.  And then they might even want to listen!

A House of Sacrifice and Prayer

It is not wrong to be amazed when God miraculously answers prayer.  We serve an amazing God who does amazing things!  In Acts 12 it was unbelievable when Peter, who had been imprisoned under heavy guard, was led out of prison by an angel.  People who had been praying continuously for his release did not immediately believe Rhoda it was actually him knocking at the door.  It didn't mean they lacked faith in God.  More likely their disbelief revealed God did not answer their prayer in the way or timing they expected.

People talk about the "power of prayer," but belief there is power in my praying is misplaced.  All power belongs to the Almighty God who answers the prayers of faith in His time and way.  Christians are to pray - not because it is effective or it works - but because God commands us to pray.  God works in those who pray and works in response to their prayers.  It may seem a trite distinction but it is an important one.  If we only pray because we hope to receive something from God our motive is self-centred.  We can reduce following Jesus to a utilitarian religion where God's goodness and blessing hinges on our efforts.  There are blessings God gives to the obedient but it is all of grace.  But when we pray in obedience to God's command, according to His leading and will, we can expect an answer.  We don't pray just so we can have our answer but in response to what God has already spoken.

After King Solomon prayed at the dedication of the temple, 2 Chronicles 7:12 says, "Then the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: "I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice."  The prophet also spoke of the temple and those who love and serve God in Isaiah 56:7:  "...even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations."  These verses describe the Temple as a house of sacrifice and prayer for all nations.  Paul brings home the significance of these purposes for Christian in 1 Corinthians 3:16:  "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"  Since Christians are now the temple of the Holy Spirit, we are called to present our bodies joyfully as living sacrifices before God.  Another primary purpose of Christians is to pray by making supplications, intercessions, and to give thanks for all men (1 Timothy 2:1-8).  Even as Solomon's temple was adorned with gold, panels of cedar, and precious stones, so prayer is the holy material which adds value and beauty to our lives.

We do not pray because "it works" but because God works.  If God works, we ought to labour in prayers according to Christ's example.  Like the savour of sacrifices rising from the altar, the prayers of faith of all saints rise up as sweet-smelling incense before God's throne of grace.  The prayers and alms of the centurion Cornelius came up before God as a memorial.  Wouldn't you be pleased for God to remember your words and answer them?  Philippians 4:6-7 states, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  We shouldn't pray in the hopes of only obtaining something from God, but so something good will come out of us by His grace.  Blessed are those who labour in prayers day and night, for God delights to hear our voice.  Have your prayers come up as a memorial before God today?

Avoid Foolish Disputes

During the morning prayer meeting, these verses were read from 2 Timothy 2:23-26:  "But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. ²⁴ And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, ²⁵ in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, ²⁶ and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will."  When we hold to a biblical position in this world, strife is something we Christians can count on.  Yet we are not called to lash out or squabble with people who do not agree with us.  They might mock or slander us, but we must exhibit self-control and remain gentle.  God has taught us the wrath of man does not accomplish the righteousness of God (James 1:20).

Men who are humble before God do not need to shout to be heard, for their meek conduct speaks volumes.  Jesus is the epitome of a man who was gentle, patiently taught, and corrected the errors of those who challenged Him.  When His shouting accusers sprayed lies before Pilate and Herod, He opened not His mouth.  It is nigh impossible for a man in the heat of betrayal and false accusation to remain silent, but Jesus had already committed His life into the hands of His Father in heaven.  He knew those who accused Him did not realise what they were doing.  They had been deceived by lies.  They had been taken captive by the devil to to his will.  Judas, one of Christ's disciples, had been filled with Satan himself!  Jesus remained compassionate towards His enemies even after being nailed to the cross and cried out, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do."

The thing which struck me from the passage in 2 Timothy is we can think as Christians because we are stewards of the truth of God it is up to us to bring people to their senses.  When we are met with opposition or our efforts do not seem to be achieving our desired effect we might increase our volume of speaking or intensity of argument.  Instead of patiently defending the truth we can start attacking others in an unloving manner.  If all who have chosen this course would honestly consider the results of this approach, all would agree it tends to generate much strife but very few - if any - transformed hearts.  Our role as Christians is to speak the truth in love from God's Word and to pray for people to come to their senses.  We aren't to look for fights or to insist on having the last word.  Beat people over the head with your Bible if you wish, but it will never manage to sow God's truth in a receptive heart.  There are two general responses to an attack:  fight or flight.  Either way the defenses are immediately up and we hinder Christ's cause to bring them to their senses and escape the snare of the devil.  It was not his loving father or self-righteous brother which caused the Prodigal Son to see the folly of his ways.  After being left alone with the pigs for awhile the man started listening to the sensible reasoning of his own conscience.  His awful situation brought him to his senses.

God has given every human being a conscience and they are in all sorts of conditions.  The Bible refers to a good conscience, a seared conscience, evil conscience, and a pure conscience.  Regardless of the state of a person's conscience, the Bible is the appropriate tool to cut to the heart of the matter.  The way we wield the Sword of the Spirit - God's Word - is very important.  Jesus told His followers to gird on their swords on the night He was betrayed.  When Jesus and His disciples were in the Garden of Gethsemane and saw men coming to arrest Jesus Luke 22:49-51 reads, "When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?" ⁵⁰ And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. ⁵¹ But Jesus answered and said, "Permit even this." And He touched his ear and healed him."  Peter had the sword and felt threatened.  He asked a question of Jesus but never waited around for the answer!  He started swinging the sword and a man was horribly maimed from the attack.  When we handle the Word of God like this we can unnecessarily wound others.  Praise God Jesus is a healer of wounded souls, but let us not be guilty of generating strife through useless quarrels.