Humility Archives

A moment with Christ

The shepherds “went with haste” (Luke 2:16) to look for the baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. I took some time this week to join them.

I thought about what it would have been like to look for Jesus, the baby an angel had told them about. So, I placed myself in their group as they hurried through Bethlehem, inquiring about a newborn baby. When they found the stable, how did they enter? What would I have done if I had been invited to join the shepherds and be with the holy family?

It only took a short moment of reflection to realize what I would have wanted to do.

I’m a mom and a grandma. I would have wanted to do the same thing I did when I first held all my “babies.” I would have been enthralled with the tiny hand of Christ. I would have placed my finger in his tiny palm and smiled with joy when his little fingers instantly wrapped around mine.

That was my moment with Christ. In my quiet meditation, I knelt at the manger and was held by the tiny hand that would one day be held to a cross, for my salvation.

For me, that is the deepest meaning of Christmas.

A quiet moment in a busy week

I have a lot to get done this week.

I’ll be at the stores buying supplies for the holiday. How many people can Costco hold?

It is a year of old traditions and some that will be new. I’m not a great cook, and now I have a “gluten-free” one to feed! But, I can cook his dishes with gratitude and love. I held his tiny hand as a baby too! It’s a great blessing to know that he will be here to hold mine one day when I need it.

The gifts are under the tree and I’ll be ready for the family to arrive. It will be a Christmas with grandkids ranging from three to almost eight years of age. There will probably be someone with a cold and another who didn’t get enough sleep. There will hopefully be enough food for everyone to find what they like. And I think I remembered to install all the batteries so those toys come alive!

As I look forward to the chaos, I’m thinking about that quiet moment with the baby Jesus. He was a three-year-old and an eight-year old too. I wonder what he liked to eat? I wonder what and who he loved to play with?

I wonder if he looked at his hands and thought about their future?

We are called to be his hands today

Last week I wrote about giving to the great needs in our country following the tornado outbreak. My heart wrenched as I saw a woman interviewed who held her face in her hands and said, “I just want to go home. But I don’t have a home anymore.” I hope you were able to give what you can to a group that will help her be “home for Christmas” next year.

As I was typing this blog post, I received a text from a friend. A forty-five-year-old Vietnamese evangelist just passed away. Debbie Tran worked to share the love of Christ with as many Americans as she could. She knew how amazing it was to live in this country and how blessed she was to have been saved through her faith in Christ.

I’m glad I can spend Christmas with my Messiah. I can’t imagine what the holiday would be like without him. I hope the Lord will continue Debbie’s ministry through many others who will do the work of evangelism. We are in a season of history that requires “all hands on deck!”

May the Lord’s presence fill your Christmas holiday

Whatever your Christmas will look like this year, I pray it will have moments for you with the presence of Christ. If you have the chance to hold a baby, think about that tiny baby in the manger and allow his hand to wrap around you.

If you have grief, allow his hand to comfort you.
If you have chaos, allow his hand to quiet you.
If you have joy, allow his hand to joyfully squeeze yours.
If you have a chance, allow his hand to guide you to give, speak, and share the story of Christmas with someone who needs it.

Know that I, and all of us at Denison Ministries, are grateful for the chance to share God thoughts with you each week. God’s word is powerful, life-changing, and perspective-giving. So, I leave you with a picture of the newborn Messiah. Don’t move on with your day until you move to the edge of the manger and give the baby Jesus a chance to wrap his tiny fingers around yours.

Scripture says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Jesus is Immanuel, God with us.

The tiny fist that grips us is the hand of God.

Let’s meditate on that moment this Christmas, and rejoice.

I wish you joy, peace, and God’s glory for Christmas!
Blessings to you and yours.
—Janet

When you are better, you do better

I’ve been taping the Bible study lectures for the book of Romans. Even after all these months of study, I read a verse that I know I have read a dozen times and learned something new. That is the miracle of God’s word.

As Scripture says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22–23).

If God’s word ever grows boring or stale to you, it isn’t his word that is the issue! How can one book hold perfect wisdom for every human life? Yet, the Bible is that book.

I was teaching Romans 11 to the camera. That is considered one of the most difficult chapters to interpret in the entire New Testament. I would add my “amen” to that statement. What was Paul trying to tell the people in Rome, people he had never met—but somehow knew?

Last week, I taught a passage and had a thought I don’t remember ever learning before. When that happens, I pay attention because it probably wasn’t my thought. So, I will share it with all of you, praying God can use it in your life as well.

PAUL’S UNDERSTANDING OF HUMILITY

Chapters 9 through 11 are sometimes referred to in commentaries as Paul’s parenthesis. These three chapters come out of the blue, mostly for the purpose of speaking to the Jewish Christians in the church. These Christians had grown up knowing about God, learning his word, and following his ways. When these Jewish people realized Jesus was the promised Messiah, they continued to walk with God in his New Covenant promises.

Enter the pagans, a.k.a. the Gentiles, who knew almost nothing, but wanted to learn and wanted to belong.

Every church Paul helped to establish and raise up struggled with the problems that arose because of the superior attitudes of the Jewish people toward their Gentile brothers and sisters. They thought they were better because they knew better. And Paul, over and over again, taught them they only thought they knew better. Their attitude was damaging their witness and the witness of the church.

Paul’s parenthesis is directed toward that way of thinking. The Jewish nation grew up believing they were a blessed, educated, devoted group of people. They were—until they became an arrogant, self-righteous, pious group of people. They did know more about God, but they needed to remember what had always been the downfall of their people.

The Jewish people believed themselves to be “blessed” and therefore superior to others. They made their sacrifices, paid their offerings, and left the temple feeling like all was well. And God, through his prophets, told them they were not right with God. Paul, through his “parenthesis” in Romans, tries to do the same.

Paul understood humility more than most. He learned it on the road to Damascus and throughout his work as a missionary. But, chapter 7 of the book of Romans is Paul’s confession. He wrote about knowing what to do and then not doing it. Paul understood that, regardless of knowledge, pedigree, or success, he was a “wretched” man. He was hopelessly a sinner, apart from the saving grace of God.

So Paul praised God and continued to try.

MY “WORD” FROM GOD’S WORD

Paul closes his “parenthesis” in Romans with a doxology. I had always read those words as Paul’s words of praise. For the first time, as I got ready to teach, I came to a new understanding of those verses. Paul was quoting Job and Isaiah in his doxology when he said:

“Oh the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
‘For who has known the mind of the Lord,
Or who has been his counselor?’
‘Or who has given a gift to him
That he might be repaid?’
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be glory forever. Amen.”
(Romans 11:33–36)

I considered Paul’s words, and then I considered where Paul had learned those words. Job is considered by most to be the most ancient book in the Bible. Isaiah is listed first among the Major Prophets and contains the best description of the coming Messiah in the Old Testament.

Paul used the best examples from the Jewish faith he knew to make his point. Most of God’s people have always thought more highly of themselves than they should. Most of God’s prophets understood that was their biggest problem with the Lord.

My word from God was simple and straightforward. If Job, Isaiah, and Paul had to address the issue with their people, preachers and teachers today need to do the same. If you sign up to watch the Bible studies this fall, you will probably notice I struggled at the end of that taping. I’m struggling now as I type.

DO WE THINK TOO HIGHLY OF OURSELVES?

God’s people have always felt a sense of “superiority” in the world. Doesn’t it stand to reason we would struggle with that same sin?

But, how do we seek to live a holy life and avoid the “holier than thou” condemnation of others?

If you are like me, it is simply to act a little “less holy” on occasion. We usually would rather be part of the crowd than left out of it.

All the while, we know God’s message has always been the same: “Be holy because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). Moses taught those words, and so did the Apostle Peter and many others. That fact alone means it is truth for all generations.

WHAT IS PAUL’S SOLUTION FOR ARROGANCE?

Paul’s solution is found in his words to the church in Rome: compare yourself to God.

When did you last think God’s word “got it wrong”?
When did you last think God was too hard on someone?
When did you last wish for a sinner’s punishment rather than his or her salvation?
When did you last pray and tell God what you thought needed to happen?
When did you last feel like something shouldn’t have happened because you didn’t deserve it?
When did you last think you were more important to the church than someone else?

IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN TRUE, AND IT ALWAYS WILL BE

The prophets, the apostles, and even Jesus called out the greatest sin among God’s people. It’s always been arrogance. If something in Scripture has always been true, it is still true today. If we humble ourselves today, we will still need to humble ourselves tomorrow. How do we do that?

Consider who God is and who we never will be, this side of heaven. Consider Paul’s struggle to do better but still fail. Consider the Pharisees’ knowledge and dedication, then consider their sins.

Give yourself a break because, in Scripture, we sinners are in some great company. But, let’s not give ourselves permission to sin the next time.

I don’t know most of you but, on the truth of God’s word, I can say that most of you, like me, struggle with arrogance. If it is Satan’s sharpest tool in his box of temptations, why would he get rid of it?

Let’s allow God to cast his unsearchable shadow over our lives so we never forget just how small we are in comparison to him. Let’s pray for his humility to fill our lives and our attitudes. When you blow it, remember that his mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22–23). Pray for his forgiveness and the wisdom and strength to do better next time.

Because, when we are better, we will do better.

That is how Christians will change the world.

Amen?

The Key to Having it All

Have you ever noticed the people who have it all are the people who don’t need it? Jesus explained that spiritual truth in his Sermon on the Mount.

The Lord’s basic principle for great success is found in Matthew 5:5 He said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”

WHO ARE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE IT ALL?

Jesus taught that the meek would inherit the whole world. Who then are the meek? And, what exactly are they inheriting?

There was an article written in Forbes Magazine in 2016 that in retrospect seems almost prophetic. The author wrote about the eight things people want but can’t seem to get. She listed those things in this order:

Happiness
Money
Freedom
Peace
Joy
Balance
Fulfillment
Confidence

The conclusion to her article is what I found most interesting. She explained how a person can attain all of those things above and wrote, “For that, we need an abundance of self-love, and also support from others who don’t want to tell us what to do, but instead, want to help us follow our own internal value system and beliefs.” She went on to say we can “soar” if we believe in ourselves. I wonder if she would have written this article four years later, after the virus. Does “self-love” provide the best things in this life?

SUCCESS, ACCORDING TO JESUS

Jesus taught people how to find their best life too. He said:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3).
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6).

Who are the people who “have it all” according to Jesus? They are the people who know how much they need God and mourn those things that damage their relationship with him. The people who inherit the best things in this life are those who humbly submit their strength to God’s authority and want to be right with him more than they want anything else.

The best things in life come from following God, and not following our own “internal value system.” Why would we want to follow what is “lost”? The people who have it all are the people who live each day with the perspective of all things eternal.

YOU CAN ALSO HAVE THE BEST THINGS NOW

Jesus also told us the “meek” inherit the earth. If you look back at the list of those eight things people want the most, you can understand why the “meek” inherit them.

In Scripture the word “meek” is a counter-cultural term. Meek means to take our entire sense of “self” – all of our strengths, abilities, possessions and energies – and submit all of that to God’s perfect will.

Those are the people who “inherit the earth.” Those are the people who have everything in this lifetime and eternally as well. They literally “have it all.”

BEING MEEK IS WISE

James was the half-brother of Jesus. He was likely with his brothers when they wanted to stop Jesus from preaching and come home, believing he was out of his mind (Mark 3:20-21). I imagine that was not one of James favorite memories. Or maybe, it was.

James was able to look back and remember the moment he thought he knew what was best, instead of Jesus, God’s holy Son. I wonder if that prompted this lesson he gave the church:

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom . . . the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 3:13-18).

Wise people are those who are willing to accept the fact that God’s ideas are always a better solution for this life than their own. Wise people are humbled by the greatness of God’s truth compared to their own ideas or the world’s. They “inherit the earth” because they took God at his word.

“EVERYTHING” NEEDS AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE

The people who have the best things in this lifetime are those who live rightly with God. He made this world and he wants the best for those he made it for. His laws weren’t designed for his sake; they were designed for ours. He is our perfect Father.

When it seems like God isn’t giving you everything he promised, there is a perspective to consider. God has numbered the hairs on your head. He has planned our steps and cares about today. But God’s highest priority is your eternal life.

The single greatest challenge for any believer is to constantly submit our own ideas to God’s. We don’t have his eternal perspective unless we do.

Who is wise and understanding? The person who knows that wisdom and understanding aren’t about self-love—at least not the way the world is teaching it. Instead, it is about realizing that you are loved by the one who made you. We choose to be our “best self” when we humbly choose God’s wisdom over our own.

Glance again at the list of the eight things people most want in this world. Now, consider the list of the fruit produced from God’s wisdom. That fruit is, “first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17).

That verse describes a life that leads to a harvest of righteousness. The first step toward that life on earth is to remember Jesus said it belonged to the “meek.” The best way to love yourself is to love God most.

Who is wise and understanding among you? It’s the one who understands the word “meek.”

Top 8 Things People Desperately Desire But Can’t Seem To Attain

God loves a humble heart

I watched two men in politics defend their policies on the morning news. One was honest about his struggles to govern during this past year. The other spoke of his awards and successes, refusing to discuss the problems in the streets of his city. I was struck by the difference between the two.

I think most people still recognize the power of genuine faith when it is a product of humility, but it’s equally important to recognize the power that is produced by a strong sense of “self.”

Jesus wanted his disciples to look for the power of God in people, but that would mean they needed to look at people with a godly perspective.

THE POWER OF HUMBLE FAITH

Jesus told the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector to “some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt” (Luke 18:9). Most commentaries teach that Jesus addressed this parable to a group of Jewish leaders, probably the Pharisees themselves.

The Pharisees were respected as leaders, and their job caused them to closely follow the rules of their faith and teach others to do the same. The tax collector worked for the Roman government and often cheated his Jewish brothers in the process of doing his job. On the surface, it would appear an easy decision about who was most pleasing to God. But, Jesus’ parable taught God’s perspective.

Both the Pharisee and the tax collector went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee’s prayer was simply a long list of his accomplishments that made him appear to be more spiritual than most. The tax collector would not even look up to heaven. With a humble heart, he prayed to God, honestly begging for mercy. The Pharisee was proud of his life, and the tax collector recognized he was a sinner.

The parable makes it clear that the tax collector left the temple that day “justified” and the Pharisee did not. Why does that matter to us today?

Both men entered the temple, seeking to pray and be right with God. Only one left the temple that day “justified.” The tax collector was forgiven of his sins; the Pharisee wasn’t. The Pharisee didn’t see himself as a sinner; the other man did.

Jesus said, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). Humility was the reason the tax collector was justified.

THE PHARISEES AND TAX COLLECTORS TODAY

The parable will simply be a story Jesus directed at people in the first century if we don’t ask ourselves whom the two men represent today. But, if we begin to label those people in our own culture, we have missed the point.

Every Christian is both a Pharisee and a tax collector. The point isn’t the position we have earned in this world; it is the position we take before God.

Are we proud of ourselves when we address God, or are we humbled by his greatness?

Do we think we are better than others, or do we realize that we have our own set of sins?

The best-behaved people in the world were the Pharisees, according to their rules. But, according to God, the tax collector was justified. The tax collector left the temple with his sins forgiven.

How did we walk out of worship this past week?

IF YOU WANT TO BE JUSTIFIED

All of us who have received Christ as our Savior have been justified eternally because of our salvation. Jesus provided for every sin that day on the cross. But, sometimes our salvation gives us confidence apart from humility.

Our salvation means we are eternally justified, but we aren’t yet “purified.” We still need to pray to God like the tax collector, head bowed and humbled. We still sin. We are saved, but we aren’t perfected. We still need God’s grace, God’s forgiveness, and God’s cleansing in our lives.

Did you enter into worship last week knowing you desperately needed God’s grace—or proud that you have it?

That’s the difference between today’s Pharisees and tax collectors.

The humble person is justified and exalted by God. The person who thinks they are already “good enough” will be humbled.

AN EXALTED WITNESS

We can’t be a witness to others until we realize we aren’t any better than they are. We are still sinners because we are still breathing earth’s air. We are still tax collectors in need of God’s grace.

It might be easy to look around and be grateful that we don’t walk in some of the world’s sins. But, we aren’t justified until we acknowledge the sins we do commit—especially the “secret sins” we don’t think anyone else even knows about.

Our “justification” isn’t about the opinions of others. We are justified by God.

If you are speaking with a person caught up in sin, speak to them as someone who is caught up in your own sins. We are saved, but we are not yet purified.

Our witness will be exalted by God’s work in our lives, not our works. People need to understand that we aren’t perfected yet. They can bring their imperfections to God, just like we do. That is an exalted witness to the world because it is the humble truth of who we are before God.

GOD LOVES A HUMBLE HEART

James wrote, “Humble yourself before the Lord, and he will exalt you” (James 4:10).

The prophet Micah wrote, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).

If you want to please God and others today, seek humility before God and others. God has always loved a humble heart because that is the person he is able to exalt.

When we bow our heads before God today, let’s stop and consider our thoughts. We all have Pharisee potential. Let’s make sure that when we lift our heads, we leave our time of worship justified and therefore exalted by God.

He has told us “what is good.”

God loves a humble heart because it belongs to a person who walks with him.

God’s GPS requires humility

Who caught my mistake last week?

If you did, give yourself a pat on the back, and be grateful for your VBS lessons!

I told the story of Zacchaeus in last week’s blog post. The problem was I called him Nicodemus (I’ve since edited it for the website). A couple of people sent emails to alert me of my mistake. I read, reread, had edits, and somehow never caught the error. I sent that blog out to all of you using the wrong name! I’ve taught Bible for a while now, and I have become too overconfident in my memory!

So, I had to smile when Trace, my friend and assistant at work, reminded me that the blog topic for the month of July was humility. My first thought was, “Well, I’m off to a good start!”

I’ve often said the best way to be right with God is to “claw your way to the bottom.” I’ve never enjoyed eating humble pie, but that is often the best take-out food for the Christian journey.

Why is that?

GPS MIGHT HAVE SAVED MY MARRIAGE

When Jim and I go on a vacation, I drive and he does the directions. But, that has only become our way of travel since the advent of the GPS. A lot of us are old enough to remember when a vacation required a map in order to get around. I still remember trying to figure out where we made the wrong turns.

I had a MAPSCO in both of our cars. When we moved from Midland, Texas, to Atlanta, Georgia, our family outings in the car used to worry our kids. We got lost every time.

Midland is flat, and all the streets are arranged to go North/South or East/West. Those streets were either numeric or in alphabetical order. We would occasionally get lost, but it was easy to find our way home. I don’t think Atlanta has a street that runs a straight line. The same street can begin in a northbound direction and then go east or west in just a few miles! And, there are huge trees all around that block whatever location you might have been looking for.

We would have had a better time in the car if GPS had been invented when we moved to Atlanta. Now, Jim is in charge of using his phone to provide our directions while I drive. The only time we have a problem is when I’m pretty sure the GPS (or Jim) is wrong.

And, I have made several U-turns of shame as a result! I’ve had a few “Zacchaeus/Nicodemus” moments behind the wheel.

The phone’s GPS isn’t perfect, but it is a lot more perfect than I am. Jim uses the GPS voice of a man with an English accent. I should have more respect, but I’ve nicknamed him “Dweebus.” Dweebus is the voice of direction in our car.

I wish I could recognize the voice of God in my life as easily as the voice of the GPS. I know the Spirit speaks, but too often I’m convinced I know where I’m going and don’t need the help. I need to humble myself and have total respect for that voice. I would make fewer wrong turns as a result.

Accurate advice is perfect advice even when it isn’t the way we most think we should go.

KING DAVID’S WISE COUNSEL

Our theme verse for the month of July comes from Psalm 27, a psalm of King David. When a king teaches the importance of humility, we should pay attention. Granted, David had some mistakes, but we all do. King David learned a lot about God, and those lessons enabled him to be one of the greatest heroes of the faith, “a man after God’s own heart.”

David’s lessons for humility:

Know that Jehovah is God, and we are not. David wrote, “Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way” (Psalm 25:8). There is the Lord, and everyone else can fall into the category of “sinner.” Yet, because God is good and upright, he can point us to “the way.”
God points the way, but only some will walk in it. David continued his psalm saying, “He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way” (Psalm 25:9). The only way to walk in “the way” is to walk in humility.
God’s paths are “the way,” but only the obedient walk them. If we want to live a godly life, we have to allow God to chart our course. David said, “All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies” (Psalm 25:10).

IF THE ADVICE IS GOD’S, IT’S GOOD

King David’s words are in Scripture because God wanted them to be known by all of us. We serve a God who is good and upright and wants to instruct us in the ways that are best for our earthly lives. So why does it seem like God is silent sometimes? Why do we struggle to know his will and his direction for our lives?

David tells us that God leads the humble and teaches the humble his way. The God we serve is also the One who created us in his image. God has a will and so do we. God waits for us to humble our own wills and submit them to his.

We are called to submit in humility because God knows what is best for us, all the time, for all time. If there is one thing I could shout to the world, it would be: “God’s laws have been right, forever—let’s not think the new ideas are somehow more evolved or accurate.”

We are not able to know everything and be perfectly good and upright like God. God wants what is best for our entire lives, which occasionally means it doesn’t feel like what is best for our moments.

David said that all the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness. God never wants something for us that is wrong for us. That is why the Lord made certain we would have David’s wisdom, as well as countless others, in our Bibles. God leads the humble, those who keep his covenant and his testimonies, because they act in faithful humility instead of pride and self-sufficiency.

God’s advice is always good. In fact, God’s advice is always perfect. And those who humble their own ideas can discover God’s.

CLAW YOUR WAY TO THE BOTTOM

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you” (James 4:10). James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote those words and they are in our Bibles today.

I’ve often said the “Janet Denison version” of that verse is, “Humble yourself, or God will do it for you—because he wants to exalt you—eventually.” That is why I often say, “Claw your way to the bottom, if you need to be lifted up.”

Human nature wants to reach the top rung of the ladder. We work hard, struggle in our own strength, and reach the highest rung possible—only to look over the fence and realize we didn’t really want to get where we have arrived. So we claw our way to the bottom and find Jesus waiting. He takes our hand and tells us, “So, I guess you figured out that you were leaning your ladder on the wrong wall? Let me show you the wall that will take you where you want to go.”

Let’s humble ourselves so God can lead us. His ladder is leaning on the wall of heaven. That’s the ladder that is worth the effort because perfection is on the other side.

King David and James both understood their need for humility, eventually. We will too.

In fact, why don’t we pray and make certain we are heading up the right ladder today? God’s GPS is trustworthy guidance for all those who will humble themselves and trust that he always knows the way.

Commonsense Christianity

Patricia Heaton is a Hollywood actress known for her comedy and her Christianity. A friend sent me one of Heaton’s recent tweets, and I thought it summed up the way a lot of us are feeling these days.

Heaton wrote, “If you are a common sense person, you probably feel like you don’t have a home in this world right now. If you are a Christian, you know you were never meant to.”

Heaton has been living in Hollywood’s culture for some time. Feeling out of sync has come to feel normal to her. A lot of us are new to that path. We grew up during a time when our Christian values were not only accepted but respected.

Common sense doesn’t seem as common anymore.

IS COMMON SENSE COMMON?

Merriam-Webster defines common sense as “sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts.”

I looked up the definition because I thought common sense might mean the perception that most people held in common. That’s actually the definition of democratic thinking.

Patricia Heaton was right when she wrote that “common sense people don’t have a home in this world right now.” Why is that?

Common sense is “sound and prudent judgment.” Common sense is based on “a simple perception of the situation or facts.”

When I read the definition, my first thought was this: There is a LOT of Scripture that is not common sense because God’s ways are not common.

Consider these examples:

“Noah, I need you to build an ark. A really big ark. You build it and I’ll take care of the rest.”
“Jonah, tell them to toss you in the sea.”
“Moses, I need you to confront Pharaoh and tell him you need to walk off with most of his workforce. Oh, and by the way, you don’t need to worry about the Red Sea.”
“Joshua, I want you to gather all the people and cross the Jordan River today. Yes, Joshua, I know the river is at flood stage, but it isn’t a problem.”
“Hey everyone, you just need to march around Jericho a few times each day. The fortress walls will simply fall down and then you can take the city. Oh, and remember to save the prostitute and her family.”
“Gideon, send most of your soldiers back home. That’s the best way to fight your enemies.”
“Mary, you are going to have a baby. And, by the way, Elizabeth is pregnant too.”
“Peter, leave your fishing business and family behind because I have a better deal for you.”
“With just a little faith, you can move mountains.”
“You can be forgiven of everything.”
“You can do all things . . . when I strengthen you.”
“You can live eternally in heaven.”

AREN’T YOU GLAD GOD IS UNCOMMON?

American’s have been raised to value democratic thinking. It was easier when more of the nation shared or valued our biblical point of view. No generation has ever lived perfectly, but some have lived with higher standards.

Biblically, a family is supposed to include a dad, unless there was a tragedy. A married couple is defined as a husband and wife. The sexual relationship is a blessing for a man and a woman after they commit their lives to each other and to God in a wedding. Children are created to be raised by both parents who want them to thrive physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Scripture teaches us to forgive, even when wronged. Scripture teaches to give and not just keep. Scripture teaches to love, even when someone is not loveable. And Scripture teaches us that the God of the universe “so loved the world, that he gave us his son” (John 3:16).

Living for God has rarely been the democratic choice, but it should be common sense. God’s plan is “prudent judgment based on facts.”

THE SIMPLE PERCEPTION OF THE FACTS

Pew Research published “20 Striking Findings from 2020.” It was a fascinating and sobering article. I found the following two points thought-provoking and in some ways prophetic.

“Around half of Americans (49%) say the Bible should have a great deal or some influence on the laws of the U.S., including 28% who say it should take precedence when it conflicts with the will of the people.”
“A large majority of US adults (86%) say there is some kind of lesson or set of lessons for mankind to learn from the coronavirus outbreak, and about a third (35%) say these lessons were sent by God.”

What should be our commonsense perception about the statistics above?

The facts tell us that people who believe God is in control of our world and should be in control of our choices make up about one-fourth of our population.

Is common sense less common than you thought?

CHRISTIAN COMMON SENSE

Patricia Heaton was right: God’s people have never felt at home in the world. We weren’t supposed to feel like the earth is our home.

Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

He also said, “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:2).

Common sense and the Bible both indicate Christians won’t have much in common with the world.

When the Holy Spirit entered our lives, we became uncommon people with common sense. Through the Holy Spirit, we have all things in common.

There is a great need in our culture today for joy, encouragement, and trust. Our job is to help people gain a commonsense perspective on the events in our news.

But, that perspective belongs to the people who have “sound and prudent judgment” or, biblically, “the mind of Christ.”

THE SENSE WE HAVE IN COMMON

The Apostle Paul wrote, “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16). God knew we would never think like him, so, through his Holy Spirit, he gave us the common sense we have in common.

As Patricia Heaton said, “If you are a common sense person, you probably feel like you don’t have a home in this world right now. If you are a Christian, you know you were never meant to.”

One day, we will be sitting on the wraparound porches of our heavenly mansions, viewing the vast expanse of heaven’s beauty. Common sense tells us to define home as God defines it.

Aren’t you glad we have eternity in common?

Commonsense Christianity is being filled with the “sound and prudent judgment” of God’s Holy Spirit.

Let’s spend the week having a LOT in common with him.

A good chariot race

If I had lived in the first century, I would have bought tickets to the chariot races.

I love the football playoffs, basketball games, and, if I could ever learn to follow the puck, I would probably like ice hockey. I enjoy a fast-moving contest.

A lot of Christians felt like we had chosen the right horse and chariot last year.

What do we do when our pick has tipped over and the race is lost?

Everyone in our country has lessons to be learned.

What are ours?

WINNING AND LOSING

We have been invited to a lot of Dallas Cowboys games over the years and always enjoy the opportunity to be in the crowd. Jerry World is a good time, especially if the Cowboys win. (Let’s just say it wasn’t a great time last year for more reasons than COVID.)

Winning is what Cowboys fans were historically used to. We cheered the character of the team as well as the talent. Lately, we’ve grown accustomed to losing. We don’t like it, but it is probably a good thing. The Cowboys will remain a mediocre team until things change at an organizational level.

That is a decent parable for our culture as well.

This past year, we were shut in our homes with too much television and not enough Christian community.

The worst moment I experienced last week occurred as I watched a man charge the United States Capitol carrying a flag with the name of Jesus. In my opinion, he was literally taking the name of the Lord in vain. He was slandering the name and cause of Christ.

The Christian cause isn’t about winning or losing politically. It is about winning or losing people eternally.

If people can’t appreciate our abilities and character, Christians have become a mediocre team.

WHICH RACE DESERVES OUR EFFORTS?

I love watching the Kentucky Derby. Most of the people who attend the race don’t live in Kentucky and therefore spend a lot of time, money, and effort to attend the race. The time slot for the telecast is hours long. We observe ladies’ hats as well as the beautiful horses. We learn about the jockeys and the owners, and finally the crowd sings the famous Kentucky song.

But, if a viewer mistimes a trip to the bathroom, he or she can miss the whole thing. The actual race only takes about two minutes.

It is staggering to consider the enormous quantities of time, money, and effort spent on last year’s politics. I don’t believe Christians, regardless of which side you voted for, should think they got their money’s worth.

Could it be we spent more effort than we should have for a two-minute race?

People are already discussing the next election season. Many are going to great efforts for a race that may never be run. The Kentucky Derby requires years of work just to have a horse that might enter and win. Which races in life deserve our greatest efforts?

WHOM DID GOD WANT TO WIN?

Whom did God want to win?

That’s an easy answer. Himself.

It’s safe to say that God wants his plans to succeed, not ours. It is a biblical promise that God’s plans will always succeed. After all, he is a sovereign God and we are the pasture of horses. (And horses is a compliment. I could have said sheep.)

God wants us to view things from his perspective, not the culture’s.

Throughout biblical history, we see God using some leaders and judging others.

A lot of Christians are wondering which leaders we can trust.

WHOM AND HOW SHOULD WE TRUST?

Our country has never elected a perfect president, and we never will. They are just human beings with fallen natures. Some seem more capable, more powerful, or more astute, but, in the end, no one has ever had a perfect presidency.

It is time for the people of God to join together to pray for all of our leaders, especially when they are horsey.

One of the most powerful people in the early church began his career as a violent terrorist. (I’m speaking of the apostle Paul.)

It would be a privilege to vote for a person who enters politics after having a genuine Damascus Road experience. It would be easy to trust the person who understands biblical leadership. A strong leader doesn’t try to reign; he yields to the reins.

Psalm 20 is a psalm of King David, written as encouragement and instruction. The people used this psalm to worship and pray for the king before a battle. The words teach us how to pray for the people who lead our country.

King David was known for his great ability in war. His strategy with Goliath was just one of his successful battles. You might say King David was a horse everyone would choose to bet on.

But the psalm is a good reminder of what God wants us to understand about any earthly king. The One holding the reins wins the race, not the horse. Bet on the jockey, not the horse.

Psalm 20 reminds the people:

God is our protection and help (vv. 1–2).
Our highest effort should be obedience to God (v. 3).
May our greatest desire be the fulfillment of God’s plan (vv. 4–5).
The Lord blesses and saves his anointed (v. 6).

The psalm continues with a reminder to the people: they have the responsibility and the priority of trusting and yielding to God.

Psalm 20:7–9 says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright. O Lord, save the king! May he answer us when we call.”

WE ARE RUNNING AN IMPORTANT RACE

Have we expected laws to do what God has entrusted his people to accomplish?

Have we asked politicians and legislation to do our job?

Have we trusted chariots and horses instead of the one at the reins?

God didn’t just teach us to vote our values. He gave everyone who received his Holy Spirit the job of living those values as our witness.

Our culture won’t change simply because we can elect godly people or enact laws consistent with God’s word. The entire Bible serves as our illustration. God’s perfect rules and laws only worked when people chose to obey them. Human beings are horses and often buck the system.

Will we live like we trust in the name of the Lord our God?

This life is a two-minute race.

We will vote for horses, but we trust the One who holds their reins.

How do we win?

Trust the jockey, not the horse.

God’s Grading System

I just finished a great book by Larry Osborne titled Mission Creep: The Five Subtle Shifts That Sabotage Evangelism & Discipleship.

I marked that book up! It is underlined, starred, and, in several spots, I just wrote “WOW” or “Yes.” (I’m lending my copy to a friend, so I didn’t write “oops” and “uh-oh” by the truths I fall short of.)

That book said so many things I have believed, taught, written about, or debated—and often not lived up to myself. It’s good to read a book that resonates with your spirit and important to read books that insist Christians aim at the right target.

Here’s one startling truth I learned: God gives every Christian an A but wants us to work for an F.

Yes, you read that correctly.

What kind of student were you?

Did you look forward to report card day, or did you dread it?

If you’re like me, you probably did a little of both.

Grades matter, but only if they help us know how to improve. As a schoolteacher, I sometimes had to give a lower grade than I wanted to. I always worried that a child would think This is who I am instead of This is who I should work to be. Sometimes I wanted to wrap my arms around a child and tell them how much that C in math didn’t matter.

The world’s standards of success

We got used to grades early in our lives, and most of us have carried the concept of a grading system since then. Our resumes were put into stacks. The A stack received interviews. The B stack might be considered for other jobs. The C stack got a nice form letter thanking them for applying. Everyone else’s resume went into the shredder.

The football team has an A team, a B team, and a bunch of benchwarmers who get a jersey but little playing time. There are corner offices and cubicles at the office. There are preferred accounts at the bank and those that get charged a monthly fee. There are neighborhoods with bars on the windows and others with guards at the gate.

And, if we aren’t careful, Christians grade other Christians with the world’s standards of success instead of God’s.

What does God’s grading system look like?

The great joy of our faith is also the great weakness.

All of us know that we earned an A grade the minute we professed our faith. But, a lot of Christians settle for the A when they should have been trying to earn a D. We have been aiming for the wrong grade. As a result, the numbers and commitment levels in our churches are declining.

A = acceptance. The minute you became a Christian, God gave you that A. Jesus said, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). But God has a different grading system than the world does. The next step is to earn the B.
B = biblical. Jesus said to obey “everything that I have commanded” (Matthew 28:20). Jesus used the word everything for a reason. Unless you believe every command of Scripture, you can’t earn the higher grade. All of us should want to get that C.
C = cooperative. God gave us his Holy Spirit so we could communicate, commiserate, and cooperate with God’s holy presence in our lives. The Holy Spirit will never contradict God’s biblical teaching. Jesus said we are baptized “in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). The Christian who earns a C is the Christian who walks with the power of God’s word, guided by his Spirit. That kind of spiritual journey earns us the next grade.
D = disciple. Jesus said to his disciples, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). It isn’t difficult to know if you are earning that coveted D from God. Disciples make disciples. Who is going to heaven, closer to God, stronger in the Lord, or more committed to their calling because you are a disciple of Christ who makes disciples of others?
F = Finished. Of course, the highest grade any of us will ever earn is that F. All of us should wish for the moment we are able to bow our heads and echo Jesus saying, “It is finished,” meaning, “God, I did what you commissioned and gifted my life to accomplish. I have been your disciple.”

The problem with Christianity in America is that most people just want the A.

As a result, that is the grade most of us have settled for in our lives and in the lives of those around us. We interpret the Great Commission backward. We’ve become content with an A and acceptance is only the beginning.

Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18–20).

The hope of failure

Jesus told us to work for the D because, one day, we will get handed an F. In God’s grading system, an F means we have passed with flying colors.

I wonder if that is what Jesus meant when he said, “So the last will be first, and the first will be last” (Matthew 20:16). I think it’s what God meant when he told Isaiah, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways” (Isaiah 55:8). We don’t think like God; therefore, we are content with that A.

But God is looking forward to handing us that F. Let’s make sure we have earned the D first. Make sure you are clawing your way to the bottom. That’s where you will find the other disciples at work: with Jesus.

“Well done, good and faithful servant” can be translated: “You earned the F!”