This “Coexist” bumper sticker really caught my attention the
other day; it so perfectly depicts the belief that there are many ways to God, called
pluralism. But as I considered the ambiguity of pluralism, I wonder if it is not a stepping stone to a secular society that despises religious reference or affiliation.
The Pew Research Center says one in five Americans is thoroughly
secularized, with no religious affiliation at all. Last year when I wrote about the movie “Life of Pi,” I claimed that the essence
of the film's philosophy was captured in the words of Pi’s father who challenged the
pluralistic beliefs of his son, saying, “believing in everything is the same
thing as not believing anything at all.”
Previously, I saw that pluralism
is really polytheism. Now I’m seeing it is a precursor to a secular society, based on humanism.
No wonder Jesus asked, “Will I find faith on the earth when I return?” (Luke 18:8)
Some people go to great lengths to wrap their Christmas gifts, creating beautiful, ornate packages. Inside the wrapping, however, could be a very common gift. Conversely, God's precious gift to mankind was delivered in very common wrapping. The correlation is straightforward. Mankind dresses up his frail flesh in finery, while God cloaked Jesus’ finery in frail flesh (Romans 8:3).
The Jewish leaders could not accept that Jesus was the Messiah because they expected him to arrive in the wrappings of royalty. But even as His divinity was wrapped in human form, so too, His divine life lies within us, under the trappings of sinful flesh. But, when Christ, who is our life, is revealed, we also will be revealed with Him in glory. But until then, we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us (1 Cor. 15:49; Col. 1:27;2 Cor. 4:7). And that about wraps it up, doesn’t it.
"My thoughts are completely different from yours," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isa 55:8-9 NLT).
As I was reflecting on these verses, it occurred to me that God’s ways are not just different and higher, but smaller. There’s something about fallen humanity that worships “BIG” proportions!—and quality is often sacrificed at the altar of quantity—big is better. But in Deuteronomy, God says “The LORD did not choose you and lavish his love on you because you were larger or greater than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations!” (7:7)
This “smaller is better” theme is played out many times in Israel’s history whenever they came up against large enemy armies—but nowhere is it more striking than in the story of Gideon. When it was time to go to war, he gathered 32,000 soldiers. But to make sure they wouldn’t credit the victory to their manpower, God reduced Gideon’s army to a meager 300. And you know the rest of the story.
Here is the principle: God must reduce your strength before He can give you His. “God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong” (1 Cor. 1:27).
Though we might wish to be upbeat about 2010, it’s hard to ignore the facts: it was a year of loss, beginning with a massive earthquake in Haiti—our hemisphere’s poorest country—killing 250 thousand and leaving millions homeless. Only a month later, another earthquake jolted Chile, causing the death of 775 and $30 billion in damage. In April the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion killed 11 men and caused unknown billions of $ in damage to local communities and businesses and unknown loss of marine life. Meanwhile the recession was unabated; more people lost their jobs as unemployment hovered at 10%. And finally, a loss to our nation’s financial health as the national debt doubled in size to $14 trillion.
But it wasn’t all loss. Probably, the most inspiring event of the year, if not the decade, was the dramatic October rescue of the Chilean miners from a collapsed coal mine. It was a ‘gain’ for humanity—a tribute to the abilities of men.
Gains and losses: that’s how man measures his years. So once again I am reminded by Watchman Nee: “In spiritual matters, we measure ourselves not in terms of gains, but in losses,” of course referring to Jesus' warning: “If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give it up for me, you will find it” (Mat. 10:39). So the question I ask myself today is “how much of ‘me’ did I lose this year?” Is there less of ‘Greg’ and more of Jesus? And that is how I will judge 2010.
When I worked for the Federal government, one of my favorite collateral duties was ‘Trainer.’ Most companies have a budget to hire professional trainers whose programs enhance the quality and productivity in the work place. Though it can be costly, they consider it a good investment in their employees.
In the spiritual realm, through many trying circumstances and stresses, God is training us both for time and eternity (1 Timothy 4:8). Paul calls this God’s “endurance training.” And it is essential if we are to someday “reign with Him” (2 Timothy 2:12)—literally, then, we are training for reigning.
Also, it will help us to endure—with joy—if we believe God’s training is His investment in us, knowing that His training will result not only in accomplishing HIS eternal plan but will result in OUR eternal reward. (You might call it a ‘win-win.’)
Even Jesus recognized the need for divine training—“He learned obedience through the things He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). The Bible tells us that Jesus’ training was necessary to perfect Him in his humanity so He could realize God’s eternal purpose for Him.
Why should it be any different for you and me?
