On NPR’s Morning Addition today, a law professor (perhaps a judge)  was advocating, of all things, humility. To him humility meant that one should consider that he or she is totally wrong in the way they are looking at something. Humility is what I think God was after as well when, through Isaiah, he said to us….

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

For unregenerate man, either attempting to prove, or believing that he has proved that he can make it on his own in his own strength, is their anything more unatural and bothersome than considering that he may be totally wrong? Probably not since pride is in the makeup of his father (the devil) and pride instinctively presumes it has a monopoly on understanding.  This is strong language I know but family trees and the spiritual identities inherited through them are fundamental to all mankind.

All men have an ancient family tree. We are all either rooted into the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (TG&E) or we are rooted into the Tree of Life (TL). The fruits of those trees are either lies that bind (TG&E) or the Truth who liberates (TL). As those who have been conditioned from birth in our thinking in a world that has been ruled by the Prince of Darkness, we have no clue as to just how saturated we are with the independent proud nature of the father of lies. (Christians included)

This is why humility is so precious and so rare. It begins with the premise that it was born in bondage and has lived in and been conditioned by ideas that came from the wrong tree (TG&E), therfore presuming it’s presumptions at best need altered and not infrequently need scrapped. Humility lives in dependency on the Word of God who was and is the right tree (TL).

An example would be the presumption the world has about money. The collective wisdom of this world says, “Nothing happens without money.” The bible, written by the One whose thoughts and ways are contrary to our own says, “No”. Instead  the Lord Of All says….

“Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy?

Apparently money is not the coin of the realm when it comes to God’s kingdom. This verse is speaking to all who, in their pride, are totally wrong and who desperately need humility, which does have value in God’s realm.

“God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)

So where do we go to buy this bread that is so affordable? Recall what Jesus referred to Himself as?

“I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” (John 6:35)

Through Isaiah God says…

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

Oh that new believers would embrace the kingdom value of humility and the Word of God to which it will always lead. For those who have been regenerated (born anew from the Spirit) and who regularly partake of the Bread of Life, the Word of God, an experience takes place that is evidence of Isaiah’s claim…

For you will go out with joy and be led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up, and instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up, and it will be a memorial to the Lord, for an everlasting sign which will not be cut off.”

Father, It is apparent in your words that abundant Life has been given to us and that you would continually direct our hearts to Him who is our Life. Please show us where we are attempting to live and get by on that which is not Bread. Help us to see where we are kicking against the goad, reaping time after time that which we have sown in our own earthly wisdom and strength. Grant us the humility to admit that those places where there is no joy, where the thorn and nettle continue to grow, that we may be totally wrong in how we are thinking. Amen.