THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013
Leviticus 22:17–23:44
Mark 9:30–10:12
Psalm 44:1–8
Proverbs 10:19
Humility, trust, integrity, and excellence. Today’s reading brought to mind four key characteristics around which I am seeking to build my life. Though I stumble and struggle, I desire that the Biblical truths behind these ideas guide my thoughts, words, and deeds.
The world does not celebrate these virtues, aside from excellence. Yet, as we witnessed in the festivities surrounding the Oscars or the Grammies, the media not only glorifies the performers, but also their glamorous, indulgent lifestyles. These portrayals bait us into thinking, “He or she must be loving life!” Our culture celebrates the end results, paying little regard to the means required to achieve them.
Yet, God has instructed that the long race that He has established for us involves much more consideration of the process. He desires not only that we begin well; rather, more importantly, we ought to set our sights on finishing strongly. Paul encourages us through his Spirit-directed example: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” (1 Corinthians 9:24–27)
I would like to turn to these four characteristics again, examining briefly how they jump out from today’s reading and how we may apply them in our daily efforts to glorify the ever-living God:
Humility. “Sitting down, Jesus called the twelve and said, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.’” (Mark 9:35) This clarion call reverses the world’s wisdom – that power, wealth, and status enable us to be served. Jesus Himself explained His mission in Matthew 20:28: “’… the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’”
We recently read about Jesus’s extremely demanding call to discipleship, which echoes these sentiments: “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?’” (Mark 8:34–37)
Andrew Murray observed that only through this dying to self may we achieve true humility: “For these two reasons: only humility leads to perfect death; only death perfects humility. Humility and death are in their very nature one: humility is the bud; in death the fruit is ripened to perfection.” Jonathan Edwards argued that “nothing sets a person so much out of the devil’s reach as humility.”
Humility involves not deprecating ourselves, but rather recognizing the God-stamp on our lives and His greatness. We view our sinful nature and our propensity to stray from God’s commands as a pride-destroyer and evidence of the awesome power of divine grace. We may then rejoice in His gifting and empowering, not claiming or finding inherent good in ourselves. Instead, we recognize the amazing majesty of the King and take on the role of a vessel. Murray writes: “The highest glory of the creature is in being 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 maybe be everything. 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.”
Trust. After reflecting on our brokenness and bankruptcy before God, we may trust Him both for His salvific grace and His provision in life’s storms:
“You are my King and my God,
who decrees victories for Jacob.
Through you we push back our enemies;
through your name we trample our foes.
I do not trust in my bow;
my sword does not bring me victory,
but you give us victory over our enemies,
you put our adversaries to shame.
In God we make our boast all day long,
and we will praise your name forever.” (Psalm 44:4–8)
Integrity. Integrity involves speaking and living truth and brings wholeness of character and spirit. It delivers a quiet confidence, again because it rests on God’s commands and character and not on our own strength. In Psalm 119 and the Beatitudes, we sense the blessedness that God offers to the pure in heart: that they will intimately know His presence and heart.
In today’s proverb, Solomon explains that many words may lead to trouble:
“When words are man, sin is not absent,
but he who holds his tongue is wise.”
Have you ever noticed that we may become extra-talkative during times of high stress or nervousness? Have you ever found yourself “talking around” a trail of deceit or unethical behavior? Speaking and living the truth requires far less effort than dancing around delicate lies. Jesus encourages His disciples to take distractions and sin-producing elements incredibly seriously, both for ourselves and others (Mark 9:42–47).
Excellence. Through Moses, God unveils an elaborate worship culture for the Israelites, and He expects them to honor these commitments. Their faithfulness to God would speak to His worthiness as the only being deserving (rightfully) of worship. Turning back to the humility passages, as Christ-followers, God desires true commitment.
Paul’s letter to the Colossians provides direction: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him…. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (Colossians 3:17,23,24)
QUESTIONS
1. How may you pursue humility this week?
2. How may you combine integrity and excellence in your work?
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