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Humility
Sets Us Free
The noted author, John
Killinger, tells a powerful story about a man who is all-alone in a hotel room
in Canada. The man is in a state of deep depression. He is so depressed that he
can’t even bring himself to go downstairs to the restaurant to eat.
He is a powerful man usually the chairman of a large shipping company but at
this moment, he is absolutely overwhelmed by the pressures and demands of
life… and he lies there on a lonely hotel bed far from home wallowing in
self-pity.
All of his life, he has been fastidious, worrying about everything, anxious and
fretful, always fussing and stewing over every detail. And now, at mid-life, his
anxiety has gotten the best of him, even to the extent that it is difficult for
him to sleep and to eat.
He worries and broods and agonizes about everything, his business, his
investments, his decisions, his family, his health, even, his dogs. Then, on
this day in this Canadian hotel, he craters. He hits bottom. Filled with
anxiety, completely immobilized, paralyzed by his emotional despair, unable to
leave his room, lying on his bed, he moans out loud: “Life isn’t worth
living this way, I wish I were dead!”
And then, he wonders, what God would think if he heard him talking this way.
Speaking aloud again he says, “God, it’s a joke, isn’t it? Life is nothing
but a joke.” Suddenly, it occurs to the man that this is the first time he’s
talked to God since he was a little boy. He is silent for a moment and then he
begins to pray. He describes it like this: “I just talked out loud about what
a mess my life was in and how tired I was and how much I wanted things to be
different in my life. And you know what happened next? A voice!! I heard a voice
say, ‘It doesn’t have to be that way!’ That’s all.”
He went home and talked to his wife about what happened. He talked to his
brother who is a minister and asked him: “Do you think it was God speaking to
me?” The brother said: “Of course, because that is the message of God to you
and everyone of us. That’s the message of the Bible. That’s why Jesus Christ
came into the world to save us, to deliver us, to free us, to change us and to
show us that ‘It doesn’t have to be that way.’ A few days later, the man
called his brother and said, “You were right. It has really happened. I’ve
done it. I’ve had a rebirth. I’m a new man. Christ has turned it around for
me.”
Well, the man is still prone to anxiety. He still has to work hard. But, now he
has a source of strength. During the week, he often leaves his work-desk and
goes to the church near his office. He sits there and prays. He says: “It
clears my head. It reminds me of who I am and whose I am. Each time as I sit
there in the Sanctuary, I think back to that day in that hotel room in Canada
and how depressed and lonely and lost I felt and I hear that voice saying: It
doesn’t have to be that way.’”
We who are parents – and grandparents – sometimes feel totally
overwhelmed at the responsibilities of life. I have good news if that is your
situation. You can always find the help you need from God.
Like the man in our story, you will still be you, but you can draw more
strength from God than you may think.
Please understand I believe that having children is one of the great
joys of life! But, what a responsibility! Most of our children turn out to
be a lot like their parents – just as we did. The following proverb really
applies to parenting: “As the twig is bent, so grows the tree.”
For me becoming a parent was a combination of joy and anxiety, for I felt
so unprepared for such responsibility. Fortunately God gave me a very wise wife
and He surrounded me with kind, helpful people. In spite of all of our
shortcomings we have 4 wonderful children. If you don’t believe it, just ask
us!
In reality,
all the roles in this life are dynamic and challenging. It shows a weird
sense of values if you chose a person’s income or salary to determine his/her
worth. Learn to know the person! Jesus was not impressed by wealth, and we
should not be either.
Some rich people are far
from godly – and some are very godly. We have no business judging anyone. Our
role is to love and receive everyone, always seeking to please God.
Erroneous thinking applies
to every area and walk of life. For instance, misguided nurses have caused the
death of their patients. Janitors have caused infections because they did not
clean well. Teachers have not prepared their pupils for life. And parents have
harmed their children by a variety of methods.
God is acutely aware of the
awfulness of our sin. Have you ever wondered why God does not take more decisive
action when we see rampant crimes and sin going on everywhere?
Well,
there is an explanation! It’s our responsibility.
But we need to be careful lest we become judgmental. Max Lucado tells about a
vacation he took with his wife and children several years ago. They were in NYC
touring a large old home when they saw a family from New York.
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Max says,
“O, they didn’t tell me that they were from New York. But they wore New York
clothes. Their teenage son had one half of his hair shaved off and the other
half hung past his shoulders. The daughter wore layered clothes and long beads.
The mother looked like she’d raided her daughter’s clothes, while the
man’s hair was down the back of his neck.
Max said
that he figured surely they must need counseling. The kid was probably on drugs
and the parents were rich and miserable and going through a mid-life crisis.
After a
short time the man introduced his family. Sure enough, Max was right – they
were from NYC. However, his “right” stopped there! When they heard Max’s
name they were flabbergasted! “We can’t believe it!” they said. “We’ve
read your books. We use them in our Sunday school class in church. I tried to
get over to hear you when you spoke in our area, but that was our family night
and…” Oops!
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So, we can’t judge
folk. That is God’s responsibility, and he does not judge us until this life
is over. However, we do need to seek to help those in need. And we willing
receive help when we need it
After God created the
heavens and the earth – and populated the earth – He gave the dominion of the earth to Adam and Eve.
As you know, they
sinned by listening to Satan, and gave that power to Satan. God put them out of
the garden so they would not live forever, then after a period of time God the Son became a Man and purchased back the
authority over Satan and problems that Adam and Eve gave away.
Daniel 4, our scripture for today, teaches us how far God goes to
help us become what He wants us to be. God does not easily give up on us and we
should not easily give up helping others.
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King Nebuchadnezzar, To the peoples, nations and
men of every language, who live in all the world: May you prosper greatly!
It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that
the Most High God has performed for me. How
great are His signs, how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;
His dominion endures from generation to generation.
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace,
contented and prosperous. I had a
dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in my bed, the images and visions that
passed through my mind terrified me. So
I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret
the dream for me. When the
magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners came, I told them the dream, but
they could not interpret it for me.
Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told
him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the
spirit of the holy gods is in him.) I
said, "Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the
holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream;
interpret it for me.
“These are the visions I saw while lying in my
bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its
height was enormous. The tree grew
large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the
earth. Its leaves were beautiful,
its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field
found shelter, and the birds of the air lived in its branches; from it every
creature was fed.
“In the visions I saw while lying in my bed, I
looked, and there before me was a messenger, a holy one, coming down from
heaven. He called in a loud voice:
'Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter
its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches.
But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in
the ground, in the grass of the field.
‘Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and
let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth. Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be
given the mind of an animal, till seven times pass by for him.
The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the
verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the
kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone He wishes and sets over them the
lowliest of men.'
"This is the dream that I, King
Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the
wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you can, because the spirit
of the holy gods is in you."
Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly
perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said,
"Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you."
Belteshazzar answered, "My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies
and its meaning to your adversaries! The
tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky,
visible to the whole earth, with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing
food for all, giving shelter to the beasts of the field, and having nesting
places in its branches for the birds of the air--you, O king, are that tree! You
have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky,
and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth.
"You, O king, saw a messenger, a holy one,
coming down from heaven and saying, 'Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave
the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its
roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him
live like the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.'
"This is the interpretation, O king, and this
is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king:
You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals;
you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven
times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign
over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.
“The command to leave the stump of the tree with
its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge
that Heaven rules. Therefore, O
king, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right,
and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your
prosperity will continue."
All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.
Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal
palace of Babylon, he said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as
the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?"
The words were still on his lips when a voice came
from heaven, "This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your
royal authority has been taken from you. You
will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will
eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge
that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to
anyone he wishes."
Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar
was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like cattle. His
body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers
of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised
my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High;
I honored and glorified Him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal
dominion; His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
All the peoples of the earth are regarded as
nothing. He does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the
earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him: "What have you
done?"
At the same time that my sanity was restored, my
honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers
and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even
greater than before. Now I,
Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because
everything He does is right and all His ways are just. And those who walk in
pride He is able to humble.
Daniel 4:1-37 NIV
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One author
wrote, “The fourth chapter of Daniel
consists of a proclamation of Nebuchadnezzar in which he recounts the sequence
of events which transpired in his God-induced humiliation.
The objection is made
that the proud, self-centered king who erected an image of himself at Dura would
never condescend to tell a story of his own humiliation.
The power of God,
however, can change even a king's proud heart. The story actually assists the
king by explaining the reason for his temporary insanity.
It also shows the
restoration of the sovereign to his kingdom to be the result of the hand of
God.”
The chapter
starts out with Nebuchadnezzar giving praise to God. He lets us know what God
has taught him. Nebuchadnezzar had
been a very proud man, but as Proverbs says, “Pride
goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Nebuchadnezzar
had a lot going for him. He had power, wealth, prestige, a kingdom, and a
successful army. However he had one little problem… His sinful pride was
bigger than Dallas. God loved him enough to humble him. A word to the wise is: God loves
us all equally! So, if your pride has gotten out of hand, humble yourself before
God does!
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Chronicles 7: 14
“If My people, who are
called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn
from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin
and will heal their land.”
Psalm
18:27 “You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.”
Psalm
147: 6 “The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.”
Proverbs
3: 33, 34
“The
Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the
righteous. He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble.”
Matthew
11: 29 “Take My yoke upon
you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is
light.” (Jesus speaking – and we need to be like Jesus!)
Ephesians
4: 2 “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another
in love.”
The word “humble” is
found 40 times in 39 verses in the NIV. Apparently God feels pretty strong about
you and me being humble!
God had told
Nebuchadnezzar through a dream – interpreted by Daniel – that he was going
to lose it all if he did not humble himself! He should have listened to the man
of God. But no, he had to do it his way! Look at Daniel 4:28-33.
One moment
the king is enjoying his mighty power (verse 30). While the words were still on
his lips a voice from heaven said, “Your royal authority has been taken away
from you!”
Immediately
it happened! It’s a little hard to believe! God gave him the “gift of mental
illness.” He made him eat like an animal in the field! Admit it – your worst
time hasn’t been that bad!
At the end
of the prophesied time “my sanity was restored.” (Verse 34) Notice too that
“at the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were
returned to me for the glory of my kingdom.
Verse 37:
“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven,
because everything He does is right and all His ways are just. And those who
walk in pride He is able to humble.”
Probably you
are wondering why your pastor would preach about pride and self-sufficiency to a
church full of perfectly humble people. And that is an appropriate question.
Here is why: Many, many doors open the way to sin. Two of the most effective are
depression/ despondency and the other one is pride. Pride in what we have and
who we are.
Pride is a
lot like cancer. It comes quietly and unnoticed – until it metastases over the
entire body – killing its victim. That is why the doctor likes you to come in
once a year for a checkup of the most private areas of your body. He is not
being nosey – he wants to keep you healthy.
Pastors do
not do physical exams – thank the Lord!
We
can only teach the word and let God make the application.
May I challenge you to
bravery? Ask God how He rates your sinful pride factor! You might be surprised!
God
Bless You!
Sincerely,
Pastor
Leon
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