The very young are naturally teachable. Curiosity sees to that. Two-year-olds never seem to run out of questions. They are eager to learn something about everything they see, hear, taste or otherwise experience.
As we grow older we become "set in our ways," less curious, less questioning, less teachable. This is, in part, a defensive posture that has its origin in sad, hurtful and disappointing experiences. You can lie or be lied to so often that the very existence of truth becomes doubtful.
Jesus has more to teach us than we have learned. We must remain teachable to be His disciples. Jesus entered upon His earthly ministry as a teacher (Luke 4:14). He closed it by forming His disciples into a Bible class and teaching them scriptural truths about himself (Luke 24:44-48).
Jesus declared that "the kingdom of God" belongs to "the little children," to the teachable (Luke 18:17). The closed mind leads to an empty life. The mind open to the words of Jesus will be endlessly enriched.
"He's not all there" can be an unloving way of telling the truth about a
mentally deficient person. Christians are charged with "speaking the truth in
love" (Ephesians 4:15). What cannot be said lovingly should be left unsaid even
when it's true.
"Not all there" can also describe a person who is not attentive to what you are
saying. He is present to your eyes and present to your voice, but his mind has
wandered to someone or something of greater interest to him. He isn't all there
for you.
We can even be "not all there" when God is speaking to us from His word or
during our prayers. We need to listen and respond with the full attention our
Father deserves. Jesus said to His disciples, "Listen carefully to what I am
about to tell you..."(Luke 9:44). According to 1 Peter 3:12, the Lord is
"attentive" to the prayers of "the righteous." We should give the Lord the same
attention He gives to us. Be all there to Him and others.
Everyone has a natural desire to be accepted and even admired by others.
This desire is not wrong per se, but it can easily lead to wrong. We
can allow the "in crowd" to determine our morals and fashions
and activities, although their value systems and lifestyles oppose the will
and word of God. This is why Scripture warns, "Do not set foot on
the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men" (Proverbs 4:14).
This is why Scripture warns, "Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong"
(Exodus 23:2).
"Fifty thousand Frenchmen can't be wrong." This old saying means
that the majority's thinking and doing are always right. Christian ethics
are not decided by human consensus but by Jesus' teachings. The crowd can
not only be wrong, it nearly always is. The disciple of Jesus doesn't fit
in with the world, for the world is bent out of shape by sin. When Jesus
straightens us up we no longer fit the old crowds and situations.
Don't get hooked on the popular. Follow Jesus.
To regard anyone as something you can kick around at will is to wrong
them and offend God. Other people do not exist as objects for us to exploit
for our own pleasure. To treat them as persons means to live by the Golden
Rule. We treat them as we want them to treat us. We don't want to be kicked
around like a football for the joy it gives some bully. And if we don't
want to be kickees, we shouldn't be kickers.
I once received a novel introduction in the opening service of a revival
meeting. "Here's Dr. McCumber," the pastor said to the congregation,
"he's as old as dirt." He was joking and I didn't resent it.
But I would resent being treated like dirt. I am not something, I am someone,
and that's how I want to be viewed and treated.
When you're tempted to boot someone, listen closely and you will hear Jesus
saying, "in everything, do to others what you would have them do to
you..." (Matthew 7:12).
O and Q are much alike in some ways, but the difference obvious to even
a casual observer.
The difference between a Christian and a non-Christian is often that obvious.
Much of the time, however, it may not be easily discerned.
Two men, dressed alike, may sit in the same pew, sing the same hymns, pray
the same prayer, hear the same sermon, and even drop twin offerings into
the collection plate. Outwardly, there is no obvious difference, but inwardly
there is "a great gulf fixed." One may be a politician who is
there as a sincere worshiper of God. The other may be a politician, also,
but present in the service to favorably impress the people and hopefully
garner some votes.
"A man is a Jew if he is one inwardly," said Paul (Romans2:29).
The same is true of a Christian. "In your hearts," urged Peter,
"set apart Christ as Lord" (1 Peter 3:15).
What is special about a Christian is heart-deep, not skin-deep.
Time flies and fame is fleeting. To my generation Oscar Robertson was
a sports hero. Nicknamed "the big O," he played with style, intensity,
courage and skill that set him apart, even among the pros. To appear on
his jersey would have been the ultimate "high" for a letter O.
O's situation is that of most persons; any claim to greatness derives from
association with someone great. Would we have heard of Onesimus had he
not been an associate of the apostle Paul? That is what made him a big
O in his day.
Jesus said to His disciples, "I have called you friends" (John
15:15). To be His friend is the highest honor one can receive.
Only a few of His first disciples were outstanding. Most of them are mentioned
in the New Testament and then lost to history. And most of us will not
be cheered by crowds or wear gold medals. So what? How can any person
feel insignificant and go unrewarded who is a friend of Jesus?
Many people like to boast of where they're from and who their ancestors
were. They feel superior to those from less renowned or less colorful places
and persons. Since no one chooses either ancestors or birthplace, such
boasting is utterly vain -- but vanity never has deterred the insecure or the
overbearing.
Some Jews were immensely proud of having descended from Abraham. Jesus
told certain critics, "Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought
of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad" (John 8:56). That's the
real test! If your ancestors could see you, would they be glad or embarrassed
and ashamed?
My father's forbears were from Scotland. A woman from the old country
told him once, "I knew the McCumber clan in Scotland. They were a
bunch of thieves." So much for ancestor worship!
Live so that your ancestors could be proud of you. That beats all claims
to blue blood or superior wealth.
O looks the same facing toward us or facing away from us. That isn't
true of all letters, and it isn't true of any humans.
A waitress once said to me, "You look better going than you do coming."
I forget what inspired this criticism of my physiognomy. I've also been
told, "If your face were your fortune you'd be on welfare."
Turning around is the root meaning of repentance and conversion in Scripture.
When a sinner repents he is changed. The change becomes so evident in
his lifestyle that his family, friends and foes all know that he has turned
around. "Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts,"
cried Isaiah. "Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on
him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon" (Isaiah 55:7).
When we forsake our ways for God's way, the turnabout will be obvious to
all who know us, even to the family dog.
No one wants to be driven. Being driven means that someone or something
else controls our direction, activity, and pace. A district superintendent
used to tell me, "Push your work and your work won't push you."
It's a matter of driving or being driven.
Luke tells of a time when demons invaded a herd of pigs. "The herd
rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned" (Luke 8:33).
When demonic forces are in control people are driven to destruction.
Jesus leads, He doesn't drive. He is "the good shepherd" whose
sheep follow Him. They know His voice and receive His life (John 10:14,
27-28). We are freed and fulfilled by Him. The sheep trail beats the hog
race.
The King James Bible describes the swine as rushing "violently"
down the hillside. The world's driving forces result in violence. Jesus
offers peace, deep and inward and enduring.
Don't be teed up and smacked away by demonic pressures. Rest in the Lord
who loves you perfectly.
Facing trouble head-on sounds admirable and brave. There is a time
to "stand against the devil's schemes," armored by God for spiritual
battle
(Ephesians 6:11-13). There is a time to "Fight the good fight of the
faith" (1 Timothy 6:12); a time to "resist [the devil], standing
firm in the faith" (1 Peter 5:9).
But there is also a time when wisdom dictates flight. Sometimes "discretion
is the better part of valor." Paul urged Timothy to "Flee the
evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace"
(2 Timothy 2:22).
When to fight? When to flee? Circumstances and consequences determine
the appropriate strategy. Our safety lies in the guidance of the Lord.
He guides through His word and by His Spirit. He will stand with us wherever
paths converge and confusion threatens, whispering, "This is the way;
walk in it" (Isaiah 30:21). He is readier to lead than we are to be
led. Trust Him.
