by RobertCummins | Oct 8, 2013 | 41. Brokenness
Luke 22:24-34
I recently read some articles by Christians whose primary objective was to change the world. In these impressive articles they had borrowed from the best of sociology to demonstrate that the world has not been, nor would it ever be, changed by good ideology and sincerity. The world is changed rather by the elite of society – the cultural icons whose ideas find their way into the main stream, effecting group thought and ultimately the behavior that shapes the world. I found the articles intellectually compelling. At another level, I found them troubling.
Their point, I believe, was that the “piety” and “prayers” of believers have not changed the world yet and they have been given two millennium for this experiment which has yet yielded very marginal results. It wasn’t said outright but it implied that continuing on this course might be a form of insanity.
Another stream within the church which also aspirires to change the world has made the same observation; that those atop seven particular arenas of human affairs are the “mind-molders” – those who ultimately shape the world. It is implied within both of these streams that if Christians want to change the world, they need to set their sites on the summit and begin there ascent. I am not in disagreement but I am troubled because of something I have not heard in the dialogue.
“..let him who is greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as the servant…..I (Jesus) am among you as the one who serves.”
This passage teaches that those with aspirations to climb, even at low altitude may already hampered by the unclear thinking that normally occurs in the thinner air at the top.
“And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be the greatest.”
I can almost hear the rebuttal of the world-changers, “But we have a mandate to climb. We won’t succumb to the same pettiness as Jesus’ disciples”. Really?
Peter was giving some similar rebuttal to Jesus as He was trying to speak to him about his case of “low” altitude delusion and the vested interest Satan had in Peter’s demise. Peter’s attitude of heart was, “I can do this!”;
“Lord with You I am ready to go to both prison and to death!” Really?
We know what happened next. Peter had to be broken before he could lead. He had to discover that he had grossly misjudged himself. Can you imagine the painful awakening that began for Peter when the cock crowed three times? This was Peter’s lowest point and it was the starting place of both Peter’s revival and his ascent to the highest places of leadership in the early church.
I am not really sure which stream I am in these days but as I watch the currents swirling around me (often flowing without consideration of brokenness) I wonder if they are not dreaming that water flows uphill. Can one really lead without being broken? What are the losses within the body of Christ and to the Kingdom of God created by leaders who are unbroken?
One last question. Where in the scriptures did Jesus give us a mandate to change the world? Ok, I suppose it is implied in the original garden mandate to take dominion over the earth. But, does that original mandate today equate to setting our individual and corpoarete sights on the summits of these various mountains of influence? WWJD?
Well…I feel confident God is going to work this out somehow without my scaling the K2 of the Business Mountain. I don’t believe the point of this passage, or the scriptures, is about changing the world (at least not directly). It is about the building of God’s kingdom by those who have (and will) stand by Him in His trials who I suspect will be broken in the process – equipping them to serve then ascend.
“You are those who have stood by Me in My trials; and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you (the kingdom).”
There are “little-t” truths and “BIG-T” TRUTHS. Changing the world falls into the “little t” category for me. It’s real. It’s vital. It’s a worthy aspiration. However, I believe the Kingdom of God is THE “BIG-T” TRUTH. In its eternal nature it is like a vast mountain range that dwarfs the Seven Mountains of Society. One day God’s kingdom’s humble broken leaders will hike on past the high places of the earth’s movers and shakers into an eternal Kingdom. From that lofty place they will ultimately rule and judge this world (see vs 30) with love and wisdom. Then we will see the world changed in earnest. So, whether you are a world-changer or a kingdom-builder, grab a copy of Hind’s Feet on High Places, Hannah Hurnard’s trail guide to the summit. And in regards to “piety” and “prayer”, remember Satan has requested permission to sift us; so…….don’t abandon “prayer”.
Father, the winds of Your Spirit are blowing. Even though we don’t see very clearly where they are taking us, we do know that we are to gird ourselves as You did, to love and serve our neighbor. Help us to connect with the needs of those around us. Help us take our next steps downward that we may ascend. Amen.
by RobertCummins | Oct 7, 2013 | 41. Brokenness
Psalm 51:1-19
I asked a group of men I meet with regularly if we could tackle the subject of our “essential” natures next time we gather. The topic was intended to direct our thoughts toward that thing that is the deepest and truest thing about us as Christians. It interests me because half of my family in Christ believes they are, in their essential make up, wonderful; the other half believes they are depraved.
Whether we are wonderful or depraved does not seem to be clearly stated in the doctrinal statements of the various Christian subcultures I am connected to but if you listen carefully to the conversations and to the music that is sung you can hear the assumptions that are made on this topic. One group sings “my heart is prone to wander” and the other is singing “God makes beautiful things”. This observation has caused me to have deep respect for unspoken beliefs in their power of influence.
For three decades the deepest conviction I held about myself was that I had a “Jer 17:9 heart”. This is a heart that was deceitful and desperately sick and pretty much beyond help – at least in this life. (Hence, my keen interest in the Rapture) I would cross reference in my heart to Psalm 51 and (encourage?) myself with more biblical truth to reinforce my position. And of course we know Paul’s struggle in this area (Romans 7:14-25). Then there was the proof of my thought life and my behavior. Those definitely confirmed my convictions of personal depravity. Psalm 51 impressed me that the truth God most desired would produce in my innermost being a spirit of ongoing brokenness and contrition.
The assumptions I had about my essential nature had a powerful effect on my spirituality. My seeking was driven by a kind of intensity similar, I believed, to my hero David’s, the man after God’s own heart. I would pray “Lord, my sin (springing up from my essential fallen nature) is ever before me. My heart is not clean (believe me, I KNOW) but create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me and please, PLEASE do not take Your holy spirit from me!”
I believed if I could just establish this lifestyle of brokenness adequately, if I could just repent deeply enough, if I could just seek Him with more focus, then I could finally come to know Him as He intended and I would not be such a useless subject of His kingdom – such a perpetual problem child. (Note; if you would like to construct a religious treadmill; this paragraph should be a pretty good blueprint.)
Looking back I feel I was being driven not drawn. Where was all this intensity and desperation coming from? The deep (biblically reinforced?) sense of my depravity produced a shame and guilt driven energy that was really quite impressive. Few people were as (dead) serious about God as I. I was perfecting the “dark night of the soul” as a lifestyle. I was so zealous I thought God might just snatch me up in my own personal rapture like Enoch – It would be said of him “Rob was; and then he was not”. (I am barely exaggerating).
Having refined this lifestyle of contrition over three decades equips me to go on at length about it, but some events transpired a few years ago that have modified my thoughts on the topic of our “essential” natures. Today, as I read Psalm 51, I see a snapshot of David’s thinking in the midst of a season of deep repentance. This was after he had taken ownership of his behavior as a murderer and adulterer. I don’t think a moving picture of David’s heart would reveal that psalm 51 characterized his lifestyle any more than I believe that Romans 7:14-21 characterized Paul’s.
When I read Ps 51 today, I am at peace that he has cleansed me of my sin therefore it is not continually before me. He has purified me and washed me whiter than snow. He has made me to hear joy and gladness. He has not hidden His face from me. He is not threatening to take His Holy Spirit from me. He has restored to me the joy of my salvation. If I truly thought God wanted more contrition from me I would gladly offer it. I just don’t think a dirge about my old nature is the song I was destined (or pre-destined if your prefer) to sing.
I believe, as the beneficiaries and heirs of a new covenant, we can sing songs of rejoicing that acknowledge that we are new creatures in Christ; that Christ lives in us; that we are temples of the Holy Spirit. I believe the deepest and truest thing about me today is that I have been grafted into the Vine. I am rooted permanently into God through Christ. For that reason, I have concluded that, by God’s grace exclusively, I am in a wonderful place. God thinks I’m wonderful. I find I am agreeing with Him more on this all the time.
So, as I live in a family that is divided in their views regarding our essential natures, I have taken a position honoring the fact that we were conceived in iniquity (as David reminds us). We were depraved. Even though we have been buried in Christ and raised up with Him, those old depraved natures still have impulses that seem very much alive. Are those impulses proof positive that our fallen natures must remain the most dominant influence in our lives? Could it be that giving our fallen natures so much credit empowers them to have more influence than they should?
If I get caught in a cross fire within the family on this subject, I say that I believe there are “truths” and then their are “TRUTHS”. I say, regardless of my experience which is not a valid reference point or proof of anything, that there is “little t” truth to my fallen nature. But my new identity is built upon the “BIG T” TRUTH of a new nature and a new covenant. This is (now) my story. This is (now) my song. I am praising my Savior, (now) more than ever, all the day long.
Father, may Your opinion and “BIG T” TRUTHS prevail over every other inferior thought we have adopted along the way. May you help us renew our minds with Your reality. Please restore our identities as children of light, truth, joy and freedom. Cause us to be those whose songs and behavior validate the Good News you came to bring. Amen.
