Being like Jesus

 

This vacation is making me consider what it was like for Jesus to come from a perfect heaven into a world of sinners. How did He feel? What did He do?

And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:10–13)

I cannot imagine Jesus thinking this was so uncomfortable that He wanted to go back to heaven. Instead, he ate with them, spent time with them. He didn’t retreat into someplace more comfortable or avoid the company of those self-centered people. The Bible does not tell us much about their conversations other than the teaching that Jesus gave them and that a few responded to trust and follow Him.

We find ourselves with those who are more interested in the eating and drinking than any conversation about God or spiritual matters. However, I can imagine Jesus asking questions and listening to what people said rather than condemning them. Later He said:

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.” (
Matthew 11:19)

That last line speaks to me. Being wise is not avoiding the challenging situation of being surrounded by me-first attitudes. Instead, wisdom would put first whatever those sinners want to talk about and give wise responses showing an understanding of their needs. I need His wisdom to think and act – like Him.

PRAY: Jesus, I’ve no idea what the day will present or interaction with others will involve, so ask You for wisdom and the fullness of Your Spirit that I might be like You as You involved Yourself with those who seemed only interested in doing their own thing.

Wisdom is for . . .

 

In (Christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ. (Ephesians 1:7–9)

My dad said some people were “educated idiots.” I met a woman with no schooling at all yet she was incredibly wise. Most of us know children who are “wise beyond their years.” I have a Master’s degree and often do something that makes me say, “Oh, am I ever stupid.”

The dictionary defines wisdom as “the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise” but it does not define how ‘good judgment’ is measured or by what standard. Another definition is biblical and says wisdom is “becoming aware of your words, your emotions, your thoughts and your actions and learning to align those with the heart of Jesus.”

Today’s devotional has that in mind. The writer is highly educated but he says, “Even if you haven’t obtained academic degrees, you have wisdom that far surpasses the most educated unbeliever.” He knows that Intelligence doesn't guarantee wisdom, and vice versa. They seem similar, but are different as my dad bluntly said, even though it is possible to have both.

God’s redemption is about forgiveness and removing the guilt and penalty of sin, but it is also about the gifts of spiritual insight and wisdom in how to apply it in practical ways. For instance, the Spirit of God gives understanding that God created the world and is sovereign. His wisdom isn’t so much about taught things but revealed truth. It is also about knowing why I am here and have a priority to live a godly life, and knowing that I can do whatever He asks, even things that seem beyond my abilities. I also know that this is not about my IQ.

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:14–16)

Those without Christ usually consider biblical truth as foolish or cannot make sense of it. This explains why, and why I cannot take credit for being able to know God’s ways are wise and good. However, I do know that spending lots of time in the Bible builds my understanding. As the psalmist says,

Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts. I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word. (Psalm 119:97–101)

Yesterday I sat next to a man in an airplane who uses his wisdom to rid people of fear and other emotional problems. He is an expert in how the human brain works, but also understands NT principles. This conversation was incredible because of how we understood each other. He wrote down my examples and stories. At one point he said something that reminding me of a rather obscure author’s work and I asked if he knew that author. He reached into his carry-on and pulled out that man’s latest book. Upon reflection, it seemed as if the mind of Christ was involved in our exchange rather than personal opinions or educational tidbits.

Lord, You often amaze me. To realize that any wise thoughts I have or hear from others is from You gives me a huge sense of Your incredible grace. You spoke the world into existence. You created sunsets and orchids and dancing horses, butterflies and clouds, mountains and waterfalls, wise elders and wiser children, and You share your wisdom with sinners who repent. I am in awe of You.

STUDY and FOLLOW GOD’S WILL: Ephesians 5:17–18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; 1 Peter 2:13–15; 1 Peter 3:17; 2 Peter 3:9. 

 

God illustrates life . . .

 

Years ago I was given the opportunity to write a ‘religious’ column in a weekly newspaper, partly because the local pastors were too busy with other things. I called the column “Parables” (LINK). It lasted for seventeen years and eight editors until the ninth one decided the paper didn’t need it.

Today’s word, PROVERB, is mostly used in the OT while parable is more of a NT word. What is the difference? The dictionary says a proverb is “a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people.” The Bible has an entire book of them plus others mentioned elsewhere. Every culture has its proverbs.

In the NT, parable identifies several literary forms that illustrate truth by comparing it with something more familiar to those who listen. However, many of Jesus’ parables required clarification and were often accompanied by explanations. In my column, I tried to clearly show how stories and events from modern life illustrate spiritual truths in the Bible. Writing them gave me a mindset to seek the hand of God in every area of life.

As for proverbs, God uses them to speak truth to readers but not every mention of them concerns God’s words. For example, 1 Samuel 24:13 quotes David’s saying to Saul after he refused to harm him: “As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand shall not be against you.”

The book of Proverbs is filled with short sayings that are usually ‘in your face’ and don’t need clarification but some do. Also, in reading them it is helpful to understand that they are generally accepted truths but unlike the certainty of God’s promises because proverbs sometimes have exceptions. This is why the book begins with:

Proverbs 1:5–7. Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

The bottom line is remembering that a collection of sayings may or may not be valid for all situations. Instead, readers need to reverence God and seek His wisdom.

Some proverbs may need explanations to help in interpretation and application. For instance, Proverbs 22:6 says: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Many a parent has assumed this promised eventual faith in their children if they were taught it when they were young, only to wonder if God abandoned them when it didn’t happen. However, this proverb is not a promise nor is that a good interpretation. It is about understanding and encouraging the interests and gifts of the child because these childhood passions will continue into old age. In other words, don’t force a music lover to be a baseball player.

Another proverb says, “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.” Taken out of biblical context, it is easy to see why this proverb is rejected in many cultures because of rampant child abuse. However, in the time proverbs were written it was a warning to parents not to give in to any fear that discipline (meaning training to develop strength and self-control) would harm their child, just as God’s discipline is intended to make better people of those He trains. His Word never condones any kind of abuse.

Not all proverbs intend to confuse or mock God’s wisdom. Most of them clearly identify problems in human life and often suggest solutions. Even so, they need to be read in context of the entire Bible, not picked out as short sayings for life solutions or hung on the wall as a plaque for life. As the psalmist says, “My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.” Wisdom and understanding come before heeding any pithy proverb.

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. Many Bible teachers and theologians recommend reading a Proverb a day which covers all 31 in a month. Since these require the wisdom of God to be helpful, other Bible readings are a wise addition. The point is that I seek all the glory of God, not just the condensed sayings that embody a small aspect of my experience — as helpful as they are to give me something to think about and provoke new ways to behave. Wisdom and understanding are still primary, even when reading God’s ‘wisdom’ literature.