Being Human

Learning to be thankful

I’m so thankful for the humanness of the humans in the Bible.

I haven’t always felt this way. For many years after being saved, I looked down on the shortcomings of those people. I could do better than that. I could be stronger, wiser, more faithful to my Lord than they were.

After decades of humbling and growth, becoming thankful for their examples, not as instructions in what not to do, but as illustrations of what to do. Be honest. Be real. Admit to my weaknesses before God, and even before other people. See myself as I am. Accept uncertainty.

Jehoshaphat

In 2 Chronicles chapter 20, the nation of Judah is being threatened by “a vast army.” King Jehoshaphat “resolved to inquire of the Lord.” He assembles the people at the temple and prays.

First he reviews God’s attributes and actions. “You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.” And yet Jehoshaphat feels helpless. He ends the prayer by saying, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.”

Here’s God’s chosen leader, a direct descendant of the great King David. Shouldn’t he be reminding the people of how a lowly shepherd once defeated a fierce giant? Shouldn’t he be rallying the troops by proclaiming that they can do all things through God’s strength? Instead he confesses, in front of all those who are looking to him for leadership, “We do not know what to do.”

Maybe it’s okay if I say the same thing sometimes. Maybe I don’t need to feel pressured to have an answer for everything. Maybe it’s okay for me to admit to God, and in front of others who are depending on me, “I don’t know what to do.”

Always followed by, “But my eyes are upon You.” The Lord knows what’s happening. As a mere creature, I can’t possibly understand it all. Thank You, Father, for this example of Jehoshaphat’s humility and honesty and trust.

James and John

In Mark 10:35, the disciples James and John make the bold statement to Jesus, “We want you to do for us whatever we ask.” What cheek! What nerve! What audacity! Do they have any idea who they’re talking to?

And yet, how often do I have a similar attitude? How often are my prayers focused more on getting what I want than on seeking His will and His glory?

My 1985 NIV Study Bible comments that it shows “how spiritually undiscerning the disciples were.” I used to take this as saying, “Don’t be like them.” Now I see it as reassurance that even the greatest among the disciples could be completely foolish like me.

Reassurance, because Jesus doesn’t dismiss James and John as unworthy of His attention. He continues to love them and teach them and bless them. He uses them to do great things for His kingdom.

No one is hopeless. Not them. Not me. Thank You, Father, for sharing Your followers’ weaknesses in Your Word.

Peter

In Luke 9:28-36, Jesus’ appearance is transfigured in the presence of His top three disciples, Peter, John, and James. “His clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor.”

Peter is caught completely off guard. But he can’t remain silent and still. He suggests building shelters for the three of them. Luke comments, “He did not know what he was saying.”

The great Peter, leader in the early church, author of two of the books in the Bible, and martyr for his Lord, says something stupid while witnessing the most incredible revelation anyone in the New Testament has seen up to that point. Thank You, Father, for demonstrating that I won’t be rejected and despised by You when I say stupid things.

A group of disciples

In Acts chapter 21, Paul is on his way to Jerusalem for the last time. He knows, and God has revealed to others, that something ominous awaits him there.

Through the activity of the Holy Spirit, the disciples are absolutely convinced that God wants them to talk Paul out of going, while Paul demonstrates his certainty that God wants him to go. They can’t both be right. 

In the end, “we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. … When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, ‘The Lord’s will be done.’”

How often are Christian leaders willing to follow this example and simply give up the fight when there’s a conflict between two groups who both have good reasons for believing that God is on their side? How often am I willing to give up when I’m so sure that I’m right?

I’m thankful for these verses that illustrate a lack of understanding among those early believers, and their response to it. God didn’t send a clear revelation to confirm exactly what He wanted them to do. He left them in their uncertainty. Maybe I can be content with the ambiguity and confusion in my life and trust Him to do His will.

Not knowing

Thank You, Father, that these four passages tell me that it’s okay to be human, to stumble and fall and be uncertain. All of Your followers, even the greatest ones that we read about in Your Word, have the same problem.

One of the ties among these situations is that, in every case, the believers involved didn’t know. King Jehoshaphat publicly admitted that he didn’t know what to do. In Mark, Jesus tells James and John, “You don’t know what you are asking.” Peter didn’t know what he was saying. The disciples in Acts didn’t know what the Holy Spirit really wanted.

Sometimes I just don’t know. And that’s okay.

God promises to be with me, to lead me. Jesus promises that I’ll hear His voice. The Father gave me the Holy Spirit so that I’ll know what to do and what to say. And yet, like Jehoshaphat and James and John and Peter and a whole group of disciples, sometimes I just don’t know. Sometimes it’s because I’m being stupid, but sometimes God withholds information.

I can be thankful for these examples, though, and do as Jehoshaphat and the disciples did. Keep bringing my eyes back to Him. Keep praying that His will will be done.

One day I’ll understand it all. And my thankfulness for His wisdom and grace and kindness and love and truth will far exceed anything I can express in this life right now.