True friendship is faithful in small things. You find everyone is your friend when things are well.
True friends are not absent when things are poor. They remember the details of our lives and begin to understand us even when we do not speak.
At times we are encouraged to do more and more in the church for God. Doing more for God is always noble as long as more is more. At times the church encourages us to interact more and always do more with others.
At times doing more can begin to harm our friendships. There can be an issue with having too many friendships. The friendships end up becoming a long list of acquaintances. Many people have had the issue of losing four or five dear friends for the sake of two hundred acquaintances.
We can be friendly with everyone but not friends with everyone. We can show the love of Christ to everyone but we cannot deeply invest in everyone.
It often takes humility to see our limits. Not a false humility which sees that we can do nothing. That is not humility; it's a shirking of responsibility. True humility sees what it can accomplish and does it, but accepts its limits.
True humility is not a self depreciation but an acceptance of our abilities and limits. It sees what we can or may be able do do and acts while recognizing the limits of our time and energy.
Often Jesus went into solitude to pray. There was more ministry that could be done, but more is not always more in ministry.
Showing posts with label humility. Show all posts
Showing posts with label humility. Show all posts
Saturday, July 18, 2015
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Why Experts get No Listeners
I was recently reading a really excellent article by an economist lately which was far better than most economic articles I've read. I was struck as a realized the article was probably far less read than most of the prevalent economic drivel on the Internet.
I realized that the issue was that the article was too instructive. We want quick fixes. We want to know is the market going up tomorrow or not. We want to know how to make money.
We aren't really interested as a group in underlying economic currents and really understanding. All human action is motivated action.
And as humans our shortsightedness draws us away from a acquisition of knowledge and wisdom. Often we need to slow down in life.
The path to true knowledge in most fields is long and hard. The short cut to "easy answers" in life often gives us know answers.
Often we never learn because we do not have the humility to admit that learning takes time. We imagine we may sit down in and afternoon and master a topic.
True learning takes time, humility, and patience. There are no short cuts. No quick solutions.
We meet ourselves when we seek to learn. Our impatience, our shortsightedness, and our pride.
The great failure of mankind is learners is because the bible is right about the nature of man. The bible does not paint a pleasant picture of the nature of mankind, but it paints an honest picture.
And to that honest picture the bible gives a glorious solution of a the free offer of grace for all who will come to Jesus.
I realized that the issue was that the article was too instructive. We want quick fixes. We want to know is the market going up tomorrow or not. We want to know how to make money.
We aren't really interested as a group in underlying economic currents and really understanding. All human action is motivated action.
And as humans our shortsightedness draws us away from a acquisition of knowledge and wisdom. Often we need to slow down in life.
The path to true knowledge in most fields is long and hard. The short cut to "easy answers" in life often gives us know answers.
Often we never learn because we do not have the humility to admit that learning takes time. We imagine we may sit down in and afternoon and master a topic.
True learning takes time, humility, and patience. There are no short cuts. No quick solutions.
We meet ourselves when we seek to learn. Our impatience, our shortsightedness, and our pride.
The great failure of mankind is learners is because the bible is right about the nature of man. The bible does not paint a pleasant picture of the nature of mankind, but it paints an honest picture.
And to that honest picture the bible gives a glorious solution of a the free offer of grace for all who will come to Jesus.
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Peace Through Accepting Truth
One way to help with feeling more at peace and not overwhelmed by the busyness of life is to practice and grow in the wisdom of being humble and honest about limitations. There are countless opportunities and possibilities in life, but it's wise to keep in mind that limitations exist for every person. Every one has limits in hours available, physical and emotional energy, and money, whether or not they're honest enough to admit it.
That's what the Bible means by humility. It's realizing and admitting the truth about ourselves in order to respond appropriately and well and to be healthy, because we then see what we need to make the right choices.
One example is how many people approach friendships. They try to be close friends with everyone and in the end feel like they aren't friends with anyone. The reason is that with the amount of hours that person has, they really can't invest deeply into 15 people. Both that person and each "friend" are affected by desiring a close friendship but feeling like something isn't connecting, wondering why the friendship isn't getting deeper or knowing that the friend just doesn't have enough time for them.
It'd be much wiser for the person to acknowledge the truth of the amount of time and energy available, and that most likely will mean that only a small amount or even one person can be invested with quality time, while still meeting the many other responsibilities they have in life.
Another example would just be a very long day's to-do list of activities or tasks. It may be too long and a person may feel too overwhelmed because they aren't able or are stressing out about finishing everything, but they haven't really practiced discernment in thinking through how much really can be accomplished.
It may be hard to be humble enough to discern this because many people act like (pretend) they have an endless amount of energy and time. Also, each person has different amounts of time and energy depending on their giftings and life situation. So if a person is comparing themselves with others and not keeping that in mind, it might cause them to feel discouraged or set unrealistic expectations for themselves.
That's what the Bible means by humility. It's realizing and admitting the truth about ourselves in order to respond appropriately and well and to be healthy, because we then see what we need to make the right choices.
One example is how many people approach friendships. They try to be close friends with everyone and in the end feel like they aren't friends with anyone. The reason is that with the amount of hours that person has, they really can't invest deeply into 15 people. Both that person and each "friend" are affected by desiring a close friendship but feeling like something isn't connecting, wondering why the friendship isn't getting deeper or knowing that the friend just doesn't have enough time for them.
It'd be much wiser for the person to acknowledge the truth of the amount of time and energy available, and that most likely will mean that only a small amount or even one person can be invested with quality time, while still meeting the many other responsibilities they have in life.
Another example would just be a very long day's to-do list of activities or tasks. It may be too long and a person may feel too overwhelmed because they aren't able or are stressing out about finishing everything, but they haven't really practiced discernment in thinking through how much really can be accomplished.
It may be hard to be humble enough to discern this because many people act like (pretend) they have an endless amount of energy and time. Also, each person has different amounts of time and energy depending on their giftings and life situation. So if a person is comparing themselves with others and not keeping that in mind, it might cause them to feel discouraged or set unrealistic expectations for themselves.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Responsibility
Often life does not go as people wish. It is easy to be faithful in our work or continue to make smart decisions when things are going our way.
Often things do not go our way in life however. We often need to continue to make the responsible decisions even when we we are not entirely happy.
Humility in practice often means continuing to be faithful in the work in our life if we feel gripped or slighted. At times faithfulness to God means setting aside our feelings.
Often doing the right thing is not the easy thing. Much of the difficulty is that often doing the right thing cuts at our pride. Sometimes righteousness requires setting aside our feelings.
Of course we can and should seek joy in life. God wishes for us to be happy. His intent is for our good.
At times life is difficult and perseverance is of course necessary. Responsibility is often setting aside how we feel and doing the right thing, whatever it is in certain situations.
Often things do not go our way in life however. We often need to continue to make the responsible decisions even when we we are not entirely happy.
Humility in practice often means continuing to be faithful in the work in our life if we feel gripped or slighted. At times faithfulness to God means setting aside our feelings.
Often doing the right thing is not the easy thing. Much of the difficulty is that often doing the right thing cuts at our pride. Sometimes righteousness requires setting aside our feelings.
Of course we can and should seek joy in life. God wishes for us to be happy. His intent is for our good.
At times life is difficult and perseverance is of course necessary. Responsibility is often setting aside how we feel and doing the right thing, whatever it is in certain situations.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Individualism
Post by
Michelle Dowell, Contributor
Individualism is not new to our time and culture. New technologies may allow for more ways to work and be entertained alone. In the past, the cultural expectations might have forced people to do things together more often, but there's no way to know if people had more of a heart to be with and care for others.
Individualism is a result of pride. Pride, which includes thinking that we can do everything on our own, is not new. The Bible talks about it. Proverbs reminds us to be willing to listen to advice and instruction.
If we see ourselves in humility, we know that there is so much to learn and enjoy from others. We should be willing to want to be with others, especially those who seem trustable and know God's word well.
When a strong emphasis is placed on the culture being individualistic, it's possible that people might miss what's in their own heart.
Michelle Dowell, Contributor
Individualism is not new to our time and culture. New technologies may allow for more ways to work and be entertained alone. In the past, the cultural expectations might have forced people to do things together more often, but there's no way to know if people had more of a heart to be with and care for others.
Individualism is a result of pride. Pride, which includes thinking that we can do everything on our own, is not new. The Bible talks about it. Proverbs reminds us to be willing to listen to advice and instruction.
If we see ourselves in humility, we know that there is so much to learn and enjoy from others. We should be willing to want to be with others, especially those who seem trustable and know God's word well.
When a strong emphasis is placed on the culture being individualistic, it's possible that people might miss what's in their own heart.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Humility in Small Things
I was recently looking at a discussion of church policy which played out on a large scale related to global issues. In some discussion after the fact it was unclear if in the whole thing anything was accomplished.
The crux of some issues at times is we have the pride to try to change the entire world, but not the humility to try to change the problems in our neighborhood. You see we often fail to give love to our brother who we know because we are so caught up in issues which we are not capable of fixing.
In life we often have a choice to do this small thing which will make a difference or to attempt to do things so large we are very unlikely to have an impact on. If we are reasonable we will realize that most of the real heroes of the world are people who actually have the humility to do small things where they are rather than those who have the hubris to attempt to change the world (and almost always fail).
I have heard pastors at times express surprise that there are old women in the church who rarely speak who know more theology and have more wisdom than anyone in the church. You see usually it is because these old women have had the humility to actually make a difference.
They seem to many people to have not made a difference, but they have lived out their faith and thus become true Christian thinkers. Most people think out their faith and express their thought out faith in the vaguest terms, but these people have actually lived their faith. It is not an intellectual expression but rather something which has been concretely expressed in the world.
Theology is not really learned into; it is lived. It is not something which can be fully known until it is visibly expressed in love in the world. That is why a theology degree is of little meaning.
You have learned many things but what had the learning caused you to do? The proof will be when the learning is put into action. You will only see if the learning surpassed intellectual knowledge and has truly been learning under the feet of God based upon the life that it produces.
The crux of some issues at times is we have the pride to try to change the entire world, but not the humility to try to change the problems in our neighborhood. You see we often fail to give love to our brother who we know because we are so caught up in issues which we are not capable of fixing.
In life we often have a choice to do this small thing which will make a difference or to attempt to do things so large we are very unlikely to have an impact on. If we are reasonable we will realize that most of the real heroes of the world are people who actually have the humility to do small things where they are rather than those who have the hubris to attempt to change the world (and almost always fail).
I have heard pastors at times express surprise that there are old women in the church who rarely speak who know more theology and have more wisdom than anyone in the church. You see usually it is because these old women have had the humility to actually make a difference.
They seem to many people to have not made a difference, but they have lived out their faith and thus become true Christian thinkers. Most people think out their faith and express their thought out faith in the vaguest terms, but these people have actually lived their faith. It is not an intellectual expression but rather something which has been concretely expressed in the world.
Theology is not really learned into; it is lived. It is not something which can be fully known until it is visibly expressed in love in the world. That is why a theology degree is of little meaning.
You have learned many things but what had the learning caused you to do? The proof will be when the learning is put into action. You will only see if the learning surpassed intellectual knowledge and has truly been learning under the feet of God based upon the life that it produces.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Learning and Humility
Learning should be connected with humility. Often learning and humility are not connected.
The reality is the universe is far larger and more complected than individuals can grasp. We all rely on others' expertise everyday. Even experts have more to learn.
Ultimately in any discipline we learn we should realize our limits. It is only our pride, not our learning, that would lead us to any conclusion other than our great limitations when we learn.
If we study science the universe is far larger than we could imagine. Economics has many truly complex problems. In theology we meet the most difficult to grasp thing overall: God.
God is bigger and more complex than we could imagine. Many theologians grasp onto the humility of Jesus. Turning the other cheek and the tenderness in the man. Others grasp onto the activist Jesus who fought against evil in the world.
You see both are correct. In God we find elements which fit beautifully together, but on the surface seem antithetical.
You see as we study God we find that tenderness and severity are compatible. We find many things in God that surprise us.
It is our personhood which is lacking. We are not the complex people we think we are rather we are quite simple because our sin makes us simple.
The reality is the universe is far larger and more complected than individuals can grasp. We all rely on others' expertise everyday. Even experts have more to learn.
Ultimately in any discipline we learn we should realize our limits. It is only our pride, not our learning, that would lead us to any conclusion other than our great limitations when we learn.
If we study science the universe is far larger than we could imagine. Economics has many truly complex problems. In theology we meet the most difficult to grasp thing overall: God.
God is bigger and more complex than we could imagine. Many theologians grasp onto the humility of Jesus. Turning the other cheek and the tenderness in the man. Others grasp onto the activist Jesus who fought against evil in the world.
You see both are correct. In God we find elements which fit beautifully together, but on the surface seem antithetical.
You see as we study God we find that tenderness and severity are compatible. We find many things in God that surprise us.
It is our personhood which is lacking. We are not the complex people we think we are rather we are quite simple because our sin makes us simple.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Reflection on Self and Others
Often you see people assume a great coherence of thought of themselves and others. We assume we are highly logical beings whose thought all meshes together and assume so of others.
It is one of those things which is often not the case. It is actually very normal for people to have disparate ideas with degrees of contradiction in their thought.
We often think about ideas in isolation and while the contradiction is often not very high in our thought it does exist. Sometimes others might point out the error and it is easy to become defensive.
Often what we need is grace and humility. Humility to admit that we are wrong on things. We cannot grow if we refuse to admit our errors.
Grace on ourselves is also very important. Sometimes we don't want to admit we are wrong because we are too tough on ourselves. We have more judgement against ourselves than God does and so we can't accept our flaws because of the guilt we feel.
It is normal to be wrong in life. Truly great thinkers are great not because they are never wrong but because they have the humility to accept they have made mistakes and grow.
We all have errors and issues. The question is just if we are willing to accept them and learn from them as we become aware of the errors and issues.
It is one of those things which is often not the case. It is actually very normal for people to have disparate ideas with degrees of contradiction in their thought.
We often think about ideas in isolation and while the contradiction is often not very high in our thought it does exist. Sometimes others might point out the error and it is easy to become defensive.
Often what we need is grace and humility. Humility to admit that we are wrong on things. We cannot grow if we refuse to admit our errors.
Grace on ourselves is also very important. Sometimes we don't want to admit we are wrong because we are too tough on ourselves. We have more judgement against ourselves than God does and so we can't accept our flaws because of the guilt we feel.
It is normal to be wrong in life. Truly great thinkers are great not because they are never wrong but because they have the humility to accept they have made mistakes and grow.
We all have errors and issues. The question is just if we are willing to accept them and learn from them as we become aware of the errors and issues.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Humility and Growth
To grow in the Christian faith we must be humble. We must admit the limits of our knowledge.
The bible says: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
To grow in the faith we must admit our smallness. We do not have the answers. We need to be taught and learn.
We often see many people in the church who think they have answers. Sometimes those people do have answers. But sometimes the people with all the answers are the most lost of all.
You see we stand before an infinite God. We are so tiny before him.
He is wise and we are foolish and in need of wisdom. He is strong and we are weak and in need of strength and protection.
Often people suggest that we bare a resemblance to God because we bare his image. This is true in a sense. But the image is marred by sin.
Even in the sense we carry the image of God it is only a shadow of the real thing. It is as if we are comparing watching a bunch of kindergarteners kicking a soccer ball around to the final of a world cup soccer match.
One problem with the analogy of course is that the degree is to week. The gulf between us and God is much bigger.
Of course is Jesus who bridges the gulf and fills the gap between us and God. His death is what gives us free access to God.
The bible says: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
To grow in the faith we must admit our smallness. We do not have the answers. We need to be taught and learn.
We often see many people in the church who think they have answers. Sometimes those people do have answers. But sometimes the people with all the answers are the most lost of all.
You see we stand before an infinite God. We are so tiny before him.
He is wise and we are foolish and in need of wisdom. He is strong and we are weak and in need of strength and protection.
Often people suggest that we bare a resemblance to God because we bare his image. This is true in a sense. But the image is marred by sin.
Even in the sense we carry the image of God it is only a shadow of the real thing. It is as if we are comparing watching a bunch of kindergarteners kicking a soccer ball around to the final of a world cup soccer match.
One problem with the analogy of course is that the degree is to week. The gulf between us and God is much bigger.
Of course is Jesus who bridges the gulf and fills the gap between us and God. His death is what gives us free access to God.
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Humility before God
Often when we sit before the teaching of God we need to have humility. Often we see texts which are difficult to reconcile. Is God angry and sin and grieving about the sinners in the same instance. Yes.
Is God sovereign and man free and responsible. Yes.
You see we always make the teaching of scripture more complicated that it is. God simply tells us the way the world is.
However you see we in our smallness wish to figure out how it all fits together. We try to loop the teaching of scripture into a coherent form that we can understand.
This is the error of course is that we are small and we are weak and limited and cannot understand the breath and depth of the knowledge of God.
Often we just need to be humble before scripture and trust that it makes sense even though we do not understand. You see there is a certain sort of trust in paradox that is not irrational.
Many theologians have spoken of faith seeking understanding. This is the way we should live we should have faith and say yes to all elements of scripture.
You see scripture is always right even when it seems wrong. We are just a few steps down our eternal journey of learning about God and it is not surprising that our minds cannot grasp the infinite God.
What is surprising is our great confidence that we can know God and grasp his mind. Or even more surprising that some in the church thing that they know better than God.
You see it is our sin and pride which makes us want to put the Christian religion into a box. It is all too complicated and we do not like that understanding is easy and we have not gotten and will not in this life get past faith.
Is God sovereign and man free and responsible. Yes.
You see we always make the teaching of scripture more complicated that it is. God simply tells us the way the world is.
However you see we in our smallness wish to figure out how it all fits together. We try to loop the teaching of scripture into a coherent form that we can understand.
This is the error of course is that we are small and we are weak and limited and cannot understand the breath and depth of the knowledge of God.
Often we just need to be humble before scripture and trust that it makes sense even though we do not understand. You see there is a certain sort of trust in paradox that is not irrational.
Many theologians have spoken of faith seeking understanding. This is the way we should live we should have faith and say yes to all elements of scripture.
You see scripture is always right even when it seems wrong. We are just a few steps down our eternal journey of learning about God and it is not surprising that our minds cannot grasp the infinite God.
What is surprising is our great confidence that we can know God and grasp his mind. Or even more surprising that some in the church thing that they know better than God.
You see it is our sin and pride which makes us want to put the Christian religion into a box. It is all too complicated and we do not like that understanding is easy and we have not gotten and will not in this life get past faith.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Humility, no grounds to Boast
The nature of grace is that it free. God expects nothing and asks for nothing in return.
The reality of grace is that it is a gift. The nature of a gift is that it is given freely with no conditions of reciprocity.
The nature of grace is such that we cannot and it is not good for us to try to repay God.
A lot of theologies fear making grace so free in that it will lead to a life of debauchery in their opinion. The reality is that a true grace from God comes with the power of God to live a changed life.
Only a counterfeit grace upon receiving it would wish to continue a life of sin. Of course surely we sin as Christians and fall frequently, but the nature of it is that it pains us and is not the orientation of our life.
The reality of grace is that it is a gift. The nature of a gift is that it is given freely with no conditions of reciprocity.
The nature of grace is such that we cannot and it is not good for us to try to repay God.
A lot of theologies fear making grace so free in that it will lead to a life of debauchery in their opinion. The reality is that a true grace from God comes with the power of God to live a changed life.
Only a counterfeit grace upon receiving it would wish to continue a life of sin. Of course surely we sin as Christians and fall frequently, but the nature of it is that it pains us and is not the orientation of our life.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Humbling Ourselves Before God
Many Christians have great difficulty in humbling themselves before God. Many college professors often settle for analyzing God rather than worshiping him. This is an incredibly difficult thing to do and only an academic or a fool can pull it off. Pulling away the worship aspect from knowledge about God or making the study of the bible dull is quite a difficult task. It is difficult to make the infinitely enjoyable dull.
Anyway back to humbling yourself before God. Being forced to kneeling down, empty, devoid of anything to commend yourself by is a great fear of our culture. But consider it like this God is a mountain brook. We come in great need of quenching thirst, we come without anything to give the brook, we keel down and deeply gulp and enjoy it. If there is no one righteous no not one and there is no one who does good should we despair? No because God is most pleased when we come to him empty ready to be filled with his love. He is most happy in this because this is the way he is most glorified and we should be happy in this because this will be the way our thirst is finally quenched.
Anyway back to humbling yourself before God. Being forced to kneeling down, empty, devoid of anything to commend yourself by is a great fear of our culture. But consider it like this God is a mountain brook. We come in great need of quenching thirst, we come without anything to give the brook, we keel down and deeply gulp and enjoy it. If there is no one righteous no not one and there is no one who does good should we despair? No because God is most pleased when we come to him empty ready to be filled with his love. He is most happy in this because this is the way he is most glorified and we should be happy in this because this will be the way our thirst is finally quenched.
Saturday, November 20, 2004
Reason, Emotion, and Submission
To me it seems the two fastest ways to get to bad theology is through reason and emotion.
Reason. Reason tends to go wrong in that we really aren’t as reasonable as we think we are. Also reason believes that it is capable of understanding. Much of theology must be accepted by faith as when we think of the eternal, the infinite as finite creatures we are often left with mystery. Reason through its own pride often acts to try to crush the mystery when it should not be and creates other mystery where it should also not be.
Emotion. Emotion tends to corrupt theology even faster than reason. To say by emotion that God cannot do something on emotion gets into trouble fast. Emotion is suspect because it is our emotion. Starting with emotion is starting with man. Man is fallen and does not know the truth. To start with human emotion and thus work toward theological truth is self defeating.
Submission. Submission is the only good way to do theology. If you accept the bible as God’s word than all answers to faith must begin and end in it. To use reason apart from scripture is futile. We need to let the voice of scripture be our voice of reason. To use emotion to interpret theology before our emotional understanding is firmly tied into the very spirit of the scripture is equally self defeating.
To me this setup seems the only logical one. But I constantly meet people who their own reason or emotion is higher than the reason or emotion contained in the bible.
Personally I tend to err on the side of reason. I should take heed of Calvin’s response of what God was doing before creation. "He was creating hell for the curious."
Reason. Reason tends to go wrong in that we really aren’t as reasonable as we think we are. Also reason believes that it is capable of understanding. Much of theology must be accepted by faith as when we think of the eternal, the infinite as finite creatures we are often left with mystery. Reason through its own pride often acts to try to crush the mystery when it should not be and creates other mystery where it should also not be.
Emotion. Emotion tends to corrupt theology even faster than reason. To say by emotion that God cannot do something on emotion gets into trouble fast. Emotion is suspect because it is our emotion. Starting with emotion is starting with man. Man is fallen and does not know the truth. To start with human emotion and thus work toward theological truth is self defeating.
Submission. Submission is the only good way to do theology. If you accept the bible as God’s word than all answers to faith must begin and end in it. To use reason apart from scripture is futile. We need to let the voice of scripture be our voice of reason. To use emotion to interpret theology before our emotional understanding is firmly tied into the very spirit of the scripture is equally self defeating.
To me this setup seems the only logical one. But I constantly meet people who their own reason or emotion is higher than the reason or emotion contained in the bible.
Personally I tend to err on the side of reason. I should take heed of Calvin’s response of what God was doing before creation. "He was creating hell for the curious."
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