We learn that we must not pre-Judge any man. We must be sensitive to their every neediness. A simple expression could be a cry for help — an affirmation could be a struggle to self-justify; a shout for acceptance, a groping for hope.
A “sophisticated” person dares not ask for help, grace, our mercy; we must plead with them to not fear, to know they are safe in asking. Unmerited-acceptance is our sensitivity to them, enabling their humble, uninhibited beseeching to be loved — a free response.
Similarly, we cannot run roughshod over God’s initiations to us. Like with men, sensitivity is required. God cannot penetrate through a mini-obstinate attitude. A mere quirk of resistance sends The Spirit awry. Our tiny peevings dismiss His healing, our entitlements quench the Spirit — betimes. God will not over-ride my emotion-driven free volition.
But, we ask, do not our wounds cause instantaneous defense-mechanized reactions?
Yes, we don’t have a chance.
Tim Keller in his message entitled, “How Sin makes us Addicts,” Quotes biology: “There is, deep in your soul, a spiritual desire, more powerful than the desires that form physical attraction — and its this — biologically speaking we are incomplete, collectively; you cannot produce your own meaning, security, or worth, by yourself.”
“You cannot reproduce them, (security, meaning, worth), any more than you can reproduce your own species” — without another –ie. person, situation, or something. The drive for that “other” makes us addicts if we live outside of God’s saving grace.
Mephibosheth
was Jonathan’s son. “And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?” Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master’s grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s grandson shall always eat at my table.” 2Samuel 9:7-10
It was of no business advantage for David to bring the cripple Mephibosheth to eat at his table.
God likewise initiates, constantly, based on nothing but His grace, to every member of the human race, to come and eat at His table, every day. Its a table of grace.
The song comes to mind, “At the Table of Grace, the cup’s never empty, the plates always full, and it’s never too late.”
If we swallow pride, give up our grudge, lay down our addiction to outrage, addiction to blame — others or ourselves — we lay down our addiction to be justified without pure mercy, our addiction to be recognized, to be applauded — or, we finally let go of “woe is me, I am worthless, I cannot be helped!” then we accept His offer: the Table of Grace!
Lastly, The famed Psychologist, Rollo May, wrote a book, “the Art of Counseling.”Here are some quotes:
“There is always within a man a tension between God, and man’s egocentric will.”
“…He (man), misuses his autonomy in self-defeating egocentricity.””…egocentricity has been a blockage to his creativity.” however, ‘Illness follows any attempt to escape this (egocentricity) .”
He notates, “…the throttling clutch of egocentricity.”– “the burden of arrogance.”
But,
” (Grace), has removed the poison from the fangs of egocentricity.”
“The healthy individual…becomes willing to walk the knife-blade edge of insecurity and to affirm truth…”
Mephibosheth learned: what defeats egocentricity, including it’s self-shame and blame — humble acceptance and dependence on the wealth and merits of another — Christ — now and forever. love ya
