Towards an Understanding of True Humility

Before we can understand true humility, we must identify some characteristics of false humility.  Jesus in the beatitudes speaks favorably of the poor in spirit (for theirs is the kingdom of heaven) and of the meek (for they will inherit the earth).  We would have to say that Jesus himself represents these qualities.  We are well aware that Jesus did not shy away from truth-telling regarding the hypocrisy and self-righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.  But this confrontation did not turn violent on Jesus’s part.  He did not take up arms against them but rather submitted to crucifixion at their hands.   Yet, it bears repeating that during his ministry he never backed down from verbal confrontation and honesty.  Therefore, being poor in spirit and meek together cannot mean ignoring bullies or joining in a complicit conspiracy of silence regarding their attitude and behavior.

So the most essential test of true humility is simple verbal honesty.  This must arise out of a heart of love.  Otherwise, it can turn into the judgmental dismissive attitude and hateful actions of the scribes and Pharisees.  Jesus bore no quarter in speaking his mind, but he forbore taking up the violent instruments of hate.  Jesus’s exercise of outspoken discernment without being self-righteously judgmental is confirmed primarily by his willingness to go to the cross.  True humility reflects the paradox of being immensely strong yet totally meek.  Jesus was indeed the Lamb of God.

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The Awesome Mystery of Luck

After I shut the door and started back to the living room, he yelled something at me, but I couldn't exactly hear him. I'm pretty sure he yelled "Good luck!" at me. I hope not. I hope to hell not. I'd never yell "Good luck!" at anybody. It sounds terrible, when you think about it (Holden Caulfield, The Catcher in the Rye).

Tuesday Ryan and I were installing new desktop computers at the Mangrove Bay Golf Course.  My assignment was to work on a room with three computers for Dale, Steve, and Ed.  I began working immediately on Dale’s computer.  The installation process can be time consuming as the setup of the old existing computer must be accessed—what devices are used and their configurations, what files must be transferred to the new computer, etc.  After working for a good while on Dale’s computer, I started to gather information from Steve’s old computer configuration.  My intention was to start breaking down Steve’s old computer as soon as possible.  I had in view completing Steve’s installation that day.  But in the middle of the process, Ryan came in and said that he had talked with our boss Mark.  Mark wanted me to immediately begin replacing Peggy’s computer at Cypress Links for she would need it presently.  So I dropped what I was doing and installed Peggy’s computer.  By the time I got back to Mangrove Bay, there was only time to complete Dale’s installation.  Steve’s computer would have to wait until Wednesday.  While I was thus engaged, Steve reported for work around 4:00 pm.  He immediately expressed concerns that I may have disabled his old computer.  Steve has extensive information on a specialized tournament database that must be transferred.  Since Steve is in charge of tournaments, this is unique with his computer.  Steve and I had discussed the challenges for transfer some months ago, but I had forgotten it.  In other words, if it had not been for the requirement to do Peggy’s computer, I would have prematurely replaced Steve’s computer.  Steve and I agreed to take all necessary time to work on and accomplish the transfer the following day. 

The whole experience has me once again musing over the mystery of luck.  If I had started working on Steve’s rather than Dale’s computer, I would have inadvertently geometrically increased the complexity and inconvenience of retrieving tournament data and software.  But by luck I began working on Dale’s setup first.  Then I had immediate plans to break down Steve’s computer, but by luck it turned out I should work on Peggy’s computer replacement instead (though it turned out she did not need the computer that day).  Then when that was complete, it was by luck I still had to complete work on Dale’s installation.  Then by luck Steve was working a split shift (a very unusual thing), so that when he reported for work he reminded me of the tournament issue so we could set aside adequate time to work on it Wednesday.

I began with a quote of the youth Holden Caulfield that wishing someone good luck “sounds terrible.”  Perhaps it hints that someone is substantially limited, not in control in significant ways.  The older I get, the more I perceive the role of luck.  My understanding of so much is severely limited.  Hence my plans stand vulnerable to widely miss the mark of optimality.  So the Holden’s of the world will hate this given their callow stance of superiority, but I sincerely wish them good luck.

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Do Your Best Anyway

Monday I came home at noon for lunch and discovered someone had uprooted and stolen the colorful crotons that Kathy and I had planted some time ago by our front porch.  Actually the idea to plant them was Kathy’s.  She had watered and cared for them over many months.  I called her at work to give her the news; I wanted to spare her the wrenching feeling of emptiness on seeing the beautiful plants gone, now only evidenced by gaping holes in the ground.  To be honest I thought of yesterday’s blog where I discussed the sensational freedom of forbidden behavior and the almost sexual exhilaration and high that can accompany it.  I wonder while uprooting our plants if the thief felt a twinge of illicit excitement (or was he now at some addiction phase)?  I only know that when I saw the plants missing and realized they had been stolen, I felt a fleeting but definite sense of violation, almost of the same family as sexual violation.

Today I would like to refer Kathy to the original version of the advice “to do it anyway.”  I love Kathy first for having the dream and then for making the tireless effort to beautify our home—even though part of the dream was destroyed today.

The Paradoxical Commandments

by Dr. Kent M. Keith

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.

Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.

Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies.

Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.

Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.

Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.

Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.

Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.

Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.

Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.

Give the world the best you have anyway.

© 1968, 2001 Kent M. Keith

"The Paradoxical Commandments" were written by Kent M. Keith in 1968 as part of a booklet for student leaders. (Source)

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The Repercussions of Sensational Freedom

In my first years at undergraduate school a required course was called Human Behavior.  One assignment in that course was to undergo a new experience and write a little essay on it.  What I chose to do was to smoke a big, black cigar.  Smoking was prohibited in my home growing up, so this was indulging in behavior that I knew would not be approved of by my parents.  Though in a sense the experience was trivial, I remember well the firm statement of freedom involved.  I was deliberately breaking rules—“the law” so to speak.  I was enjoying the sensational experience of freedom that deliberately violates approved behavior.  I was “letting it all hang out.”  In a way it simulated the experience of prohibited sex.  I remember having an erection during the experience.  This same sensational thrill of breaking the law during the affirmation of self no doubt plays a role in some more serious activities from burglary to taking illegal drugs.  It is the thrill of making a statement of freedom—however negative that statement may be.  It is a clandestine experiential sensation that must have accompanied Adam & Eve’s first indulgence in prohibited fruit.  I would call this indulgence “sensational freedom.”  It is the high that results in deliberately crossing the line of established mores. This exhilarating experience formulates one of the central characteristics and attractions of such behavior, of sin.

The flip side of sensational freedom is the slavery that can result.  What we once indulged in as a lurid act of liberation can end up reprogramming our brains so that addiction results.  Then, rather than having a choice, we have no choice at all as the will is made secondary to compulsion.  Then our past days when freedom was possible are seen as a remote Eden while the present becomes an endless enslavement binding us in shackles and chains.  

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So That No One Can Boast

Ephesians 2 8-10

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast [emphasis mine]. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

While representing a small minority of Christians I’ve encountered, I have met some who boast—some who are self-righteous.  Receiving something as a gift—not by works—is no guarantee of humility on the part of the recipient.  Surely we will witness this in a few weeks when Christmas arrives.  There will be children and adults who receive gifts Christmas morning who will flaunt them in barefaced one-upmanship.  Gifts received will only serve to fuel hubris and selfishness.  This is much like someone receiving a large inheritance only to have the windfall become the engine of stiff self-righteousness, self-centeredness, and pride. We should be cautious when in comparing Islam to Christianity we arrive at the categorical conclusion that Christian grace is superior in spiritual consequence over Islamic works.  Surely it is possible that a Muslim’s humility before God can be more efficacious in producing humility than a Christian’s penetrating pride of salvation.  Of course, we can say that a person so configured is not really a Christian.  We can also say that a Muslim who is not humble before God is not really a Muslim.  We are forced to conclude that holy wars serve mostly to confirm the delusions and self-justifications of self-appointed holy men.

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Sermons as a Lively Subject of Discussion

John Wesley

In years past the sharing of sermons and discussion of them was a common thing.  Like we discuss movies, TV offerings or books, they would meet in each other’s homes and discuss sermons.  I think this practice was a very good thing.  Good sermons can be helpful in many ways.  They can present striking images, analogies, stories and anecdotes, comedy, tragedy, interesting turns of phrase, commentary, inspiration, practical wisdom, common sense, as well as of course commentary on the central and essential heritage of our civilization—the values, ideas, and avenues of redemption manifested in the Bible.  Sermons celebrate the greatest privilege of humanity; this being the recognition of the spiritual, ethical, and the meaningful and purposeful dimensions necessary for the very viability of mankind. Today’s resources make it easy to experience sermons.  My pastor’s (David Miller's) sermons can be found in text format at the following link:  http://pastordavidmiller.wordpress.com/.  Moody Bible Institute streams sermons 24/7 at this link: http:\\75.125.83.200:7070/conferencecenter.mp3.  If you have an Internet radio, use this URL.  Otherwise, paste it in the address line of your browser or click here.  The schedule of sermons for each day's presentation is posted here: http://inetradio.moody.edu/playing.php

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Oviedo: Always in Season

FUMC - Oviedo, FL

Yesterday I wrote a letter to a friend and spoke of my days growing up in Oviedo, FL.  The following from that letter recalls some aspects of those days.

By the way, Oviedo has a special meaning for me.  I lived there when I was 6-9 years old (1950-1954), and it floods my mind with golden memories.  That's where we had a spoiled pet squirrel that ate only shelled pecans, where my brother taught me to ride a bike and I thereby learned that exhilarating accomplishment first entails assuming risks, where I learned to tell time and spell "bicycle" and "banana," where I learned that Santa shipped packages complete with canceled stamps still on the box through the US mail--a Christmas morning dawn of skepticism, where we boys hewed out a quiet sunlit chapel in the woods, where I embarrassed mother by asking at the dinner table with the district superintendent as our guest whether the spread she served that day was "real butter"--it wasn't, where I happened upon a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, where dad raised Rhode Island Red chickens in a backyard pen, and where while raking oak leaves in the front yard on Saturdays we heard Big Jon and Sparkie on radio .  The home where we lived is still there, tucked away on the expanded church campus and now used as an education building.  The satin robe azaleas around the front of the house that dad fertilized with chicken manure are now gone--but in fact only, not from my awareness colored heavily by persistent memory.

Theme song introducing Big Jon and Sparkie that would waft over our front yard Saturday mornings………..

(With special thanks to Frank Johnson for discovering this.)

 

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