How Low Can You Go
How Low Can You Go?
Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the LORD, and humility comes before honor. Prov. 15:33
These last couple of years have been a new experience for me, namely that I am seeing New Testament warnings regarding the surrounding spiritual environment becoming an American reality. When you study Peter’s encouragements to stand in the middle of persecution and hardship, and Paul’s warnings of apostasy, you see those exhortations jumping right off the pages.
Now, I am aware that other Christians around the world have experienced these dire living conditions for many generations. But, America seems to have side-stepped the worst of it even through world wars and wars on terrorism, etc. But now, we seem to be awakening to some sickening realities that we just can’t ignore anymore. But, that is for another post.
My true concern this morning is for the head and heart of Christ Followers. The spirit of deception and delusion is so strong right now that I believe that the Church is being lulled into a hapless, helpless, hopeless condition when the reality is that the Church is stronger than ever. Read my other posts on faith regarding this.
So, how do we avoid ambivalence? It begins in the heart. From my earliest days of reading devotionals and Christian biographies, I have been convinced that the greatest character quality a Christian can have is humility. Humility helps us to get out of the way of God, and maybe more acutely, get out of the way of ourselves.
As a pastor, I have had to learn (and continue to learn) that the balance of confidence and humility is a real challenge. In truth, the latter must precede the former. I have had to make some very hard decisions over the years, and I have many times not made the right decision in a timely manner because of pride or fear. We can be impetuous, or we can be lazy. I always thought that humility was being so longsuffering that a person should be given many chances to change. But, I don’t see God doing that at all. Yes, he is patient, but he is not tolerant. He is kind, but he does not withhold discipline. In fact, the sooner we move on to experience the struggle and even the pain our decisions produce the better.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of everything for us. It ALWAYS comes back to that. It takes great humility to admit it and walk in it. But, we want success; we want to make our mark; we want to prove others wrong; we want to rule our world. But, notice that Solomon teaches us that humility must proceed honor. You can’t demand honor. It is awarded by God himself as He moves on the hearts of people in our lives to give it. If the honor is not forthwith coming, then it isn’t due.
They say that the way up is down. What a fun little saying. Very few that I have ever said this to, including myself, have really understood it. How low can we go? As low as God would have us go in order to achieve the great honor that He and we desire. Look, let me be straightforward. If you have not been promoted or advanced, then perhaps you don’t deserve it? Promotion comes from the Lord, the Bible tells us. Ps. 75:6-8. But, that doesn’t mean that it will never happen. It means we are not ready now.
For the Christian, the work of God is to bring righteousness, peace, and joy to our hearts. He knows exactly what that means. Don’t be surprised if you and God don’t see exactly eye to eye on what it looks like in your daily life. Are you in conflict? Tormented by others “lack of sensibility?” Have you walked away from a chance to learn a deeper humility? If you have not embraced the place of being humbled, then you don’t understand humility. People know what being humiliated means in this world, but that is not humility. In truth, the experience of humiliation should be almost non-existent for the Christian because he/she knows that every part of their life is providentially a part of our growing in Christlikeness. Did you just gasp? I know. By the way, don't think you have the calling of humbling others. That won't work out so well for you...sowing and reaping and all.
My final case in point is found in Philippians 2. Jesus showed us by example the path I am talking about that brings true honor, true victory. No grasping, no demanding, no accusations, only patient waiting on God. Check it out. My friend, please do not think you will achieve the place you think you deserve in any other way.
For His Glory,
David M. Schmaltz