Whose plan?

Yesterday we discussed how a ruler wanted to add a guarantee to his life's work. He wanted the promise of eternal life.

Jesus responded with a challenge: "follow me."

Hundreds of years before, a psalmist threw his head back and groaned. "Why do the wicked renounce God, and say in their hearts, 'You will not call us to account'?" (Psalm 10:13)

The wicked seek their own gain. But while they are pursuing what they want, God's ear is inclined to the helpful and orphan.

O Lord, you will hear the desire of the meek; you will strengthen their heart, you will incline your ear to do justice for the orphan and the oppressed, so that those from earth may strike terror no more. (Ps 10:17-18)

Unless our goals are melded with God's, we pursue our dreams selfishly. The God of the universe cares for the meek and the oppressed.

That was Jesus' message to the rich ruler as well: Shed your own goals and follow mine.

For the ruler, this was too great a price for eternal life. Obviously his wealth was his dream. Eternal life was more of an add-on, a nice medal to decorate the uniform. He walked away from Jesus.

He forgot what we must never forget:

The Lord is king forever and ever (Ps 10:16)

The to-do list

There may have been only one thing left to check off on the ruler's to-do list and he gave it his full attention.

So, when Jesus came through the area, the ruler asked a logical question of a religious teacher: "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"

We learn quickly that this man had wealth and, as a ruler, had authority.

In small towns today, the local newspaper will often interview graduating seniors. When asked about their goals, these 18-year-olds by a large majority responded, "to be rich and famous."

The ruler had arrived there. He had fame and wealth. Now he was in search of one more thing: a ticket to heaven.

He'd already started the process, in his own eyes. He kept the commandments. Was there anything else he needed to do?

Jesus turned the conversation on its ear with his answer: "There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." (Luke 18:22)

Jesus knew the ruler had spent his life pursuing personal gain. Now this ruler wanted heaven - for personal gain.

This account from Luke is a strong statement about where we put our trust. Are we resting on our laurels, so to speak, gripping our own goals and hoping to add the veneer of heaven?

But there's more here. Jesus asked the ruler to become like him. Jesus asked him to shed that which kept him from God. Jesus laid out a new goal: to deny his own gain so that he could follow Jesus.

For this ruler, the idea of tossing aside his dreams to follow God's path was repulsive. He walked away from Jesus.

Tomorrow, we'll look at Psalm 10. There's more to be learned about personal gain there.

Freedom?

Recently our family had a discussion about freedom vs. safety. Well, actually, we were discussing the Vikings plundering land through Europe in the Middle Ages. These wild men came to a village and did hideous things: rape, pillage, plunder, murder. Then they burned whatever was left.

We talked about the fear when a village knew they were coming. Many villagers submitted to a feudal state, where they gave up their freedom to a lord who promised them protection and safety.

I asked my teenage daughter to write a short essay on this subject of freedom vs. safety. Here’s what she wrote:

“What would do when the Vikings come here?” these villagers would ask themselves. “Who will we turn to?” The offer of protection would be very appealing to these frightened people.

The cost? The loss of freedom. They would submit themselves to their lord and do whatever he wanted whenever he called. In return, they would be safe and alive after the Vikings passed.

What would we do today?

What good is freedom if we’re dead?

As I look at this story, I see a clear image of what our lives in Christ should look like. We are being invaded by an enemy we can’t fight. He is plundering our lives, taking everything he can.

“What will we do when he comes?” we ask ourselves. “Who will we turn to?”

The offer of protection that Christ gives is very appealing. The cost? The loss of freedom. We submit ourselves to our Lord and do whatever he wants whenever he calls. In return, we will be safe and alive after the enemy passes.

What do you say?

Through whose eyes?

I’ve been thinking about worldviews lately.

I recently read an insight regarding the Left Behind series of books that I had not thought of before. You probably know the story line, where Christians disappear from the earth in the Rapture.

The critic commented on how little difference it made to that world when the Christians vanished. Family members missed loved ones but society hardly noticed, except in curiosity.

Wouldn’t you think that if all the Christians disappeared, society would suffer? There’d be no more Salvation Army. Prison Fellowship would vanish. I know many who have given up their summer vacation to build a house for the poor in Mexico or dig a water well in Haiti.

I think that when we, as followers of Jesus, reach out sacrificially, it’s because of our worldview. And it matters to the world, even if they don’t want to admit it.

Today some see our passion as fanaticism: dangerous and listing toward terrorism. Humanism is the common religion today where we assume that belief in ourselves is the key to unlimited dreams and success. It’s supposed to be about what we know and do.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,” according to Proverbs 1:7.

Paul endorses that approach: “In Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.” (Col 2:3)

We are in an age where it’s understood that, if we only educate properly, we will cure the world’s woes. That’s a humanistic worldview, trusting in our own potential.

That’s not my worldview. I want my eyes to be marinated in God’s Word. My responses and plans can’t be based on my faith in my own potential, but faith in the Creator of the universe.

Have you thought about your worldview lately?

There is a way that seems right to a man,
but in the end it leads to death.
Prov 16:25

Esteem whom?

Lawrence described himself as a great awkward fellow who broke everything. He had no credentials and no stunning resume to show off.

Today we’d probably put him in self-esteem classes.

Brother Lawrence was a 17th century French man who worked in a monastery although he lacked the education to be called a monk. He labored in the kitchen most of his life but had many conversations about his relationship with God that have been recorded.

His story can be seen more fully here.

He was an achingly-humble man in a way that we’d find uncomfortable today. Not only did he acknowledge his clumsiness, but he also recognized his failures. “When I fail in my duty, I readily acknowledge it, saying, I am used to do so: I shall never do otherwise, if I am left to myself.”

Am I ready to say that I’m used to failure because I will fail if left to my own resources? That grinds against my independence and self-sufficiency.

And yet, Lawrence didn’t melt away into despair at the idea that he would fail. He was also clear-minded in knowing that he didn’t always fail.

But his successes were not reason for patting himself on the back.

He said, “If I fail not, then I give GOD thanks, acknowledging that it comes from Him.”

Lawrence knew plainly that when he failed, it was to be expected for he didn’t have the resources to do otherwise. When he succeeded, he thanked God because that’s where the success came from.

Where does our success come from? And do we recognize its source?

The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.

Psalms 118:14

Galatians: not your to-do list

Carrie had the fruit of the Spirit emblazoned across her bathroom mirror. Surely, if she saw the list every morning right after her shower, she could remember to behave herself all day. She’d scrubbed fog off of “self control” several times and tried to be sure she carried “love” to the breakfast table.

The kids weren’t always much help, though, as they dragged themselves through extended bowls of cereal while she prodded them to dress for the bus.

Usually, by 8 am, Carrie’s fruit felt as fogged as the list on the mirror and she trudged through her day, defeated by her own lack of self control.

You may have the fruit of the Spirit list on your walls, too. Maybe you’ve felt defeated, too.

But take a look at Gal 5:22 again. That is not our to-do list to be checked off each day as we grit our teeth and show patience to the sluggish driver at the stop sign. This is the fruit of the Spirit.

In other words, when we exhibit any of these traits, it’s because we’ve allowed the Spirit of God to shine through. These are his traits, not ours. This is his nature, not ours.

We can’t become gentle and good by determination but by surrender. The fruit list is more of a thermometer of our heart. If we see love, joy, peace, patience, etc. in our life, it’s because we’re allowing God to reveal his nature through us.

If we see impurity, jealousy, envy, selfish ambition and the like, we’re seeing our old nature. That’s a clue that we’re not submitting to God but are choosing to follow our own desires.

Read Gal 5:13-26. For what are we called?

What’s the danger to us? (v 13)

How does Paul advise us to live? (v 16)

How can you apply v 25 to your daily life?

Journal about this passage and God’s call to you. If you are not seeing the Spirit’s fruit in your life, what’s holding you back? Can you make changes?