Inside-out Sock
Nov 02
2004
Posted: under Call for News.
Tags: arrogance, Christ, condemnation, humility, rocks
One day, religious leaders challenged Jesus when the people worshiped him. He didn’t lower his gaze, furrow his brow with a half smile and give a bemused shake of his head saying “No, no, no, their enthusiasm carries them to excess.” Instead he looked the question in the eye and said the rocks would praise him if men did not. He agreed that he was Lord and master. He proclaimed himself the Father’s Son and source of true food and drink. He claimed to be God, the Creator of the universe.
Yet, despite all that, the same Spirit also says he wouldn’t break a bruised reed. It names him the humble standard for the believer to follow. With us, however, condemnation often mimics humility. The voice in our head says that we are not – fill in the blank here - smart enough, tall enough, pretty enough, skinny enough, spiritual enough, strong enough, lucky enough, clever enough, rich enough, a good enough pilot, good enough mom, good enough wife, good enough husband, good enough lover, good enough missionary, whatever. The enemy’s tape plays the mantra over and over until it becomes our very own truth.
Fortunately, counterfeits present only incomplete truth. God’s Word does call us unworthy, unrighteous and doomed for destruction. But condemnation’s lie stops us there. Running from arrogance, we don’t recognize the inside-out sock of selfishness and call it humility instead. We forget that He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. The whole truth adds that, while apart from Him we can do nothing, we can, in fact, do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Christ alone changes cracked pots into fountains of living water.
So, how are His blessings flowing out of you and those around you?
