Self-Presentation, Part 1

S

(Romans 12:1) I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable worship (NRSV).

O

Presenting one's body to God is a necessary task. Paul, having met Jesus, begged the Romans to make this intentional presentation. As a sacrifice, it means giving up something costly (my freedom to serve myself) for the benefit of something far better (serving God). As an act of reasonable faith, it means completely trusting Jesus that His sacrifice made us holy (purely God's) and acceptable (fully pleasing) to God. By dedicating ourselves back to God, we gain a reliable reference point for health ... God's image.

A (Personal)

Yielding myself wholly to God is very practical. It's an act of faith that answers my existential needs--I know who I am and where I'm going with my life. My starting and ending point is simply abiding in Christ. Like Paul, though lost at sea while traveling to Rome, was existentially secure by anchoring his hope and direction in Christ (Acts 27:23-25). Like him, I know that (1) I belong to God, (2) I serve God, and (3) I trust God.

A (Psychological)

This marks Christianity's radical departure from many psychological perspectives. Newer models of therapy reject the old medical model of expertism in favor of the privatization of morality.Watzlawick (Becvar & Becvar, Family Therapy: A Systemic Integration, 2003, p.198) asserts that each of us punctuates reality differently (i.e., our behavioral sequences are understood and meanings assigned relative to our private epistemologies). Similarly, Satir practiced family therapy with these four assumptions: (1) the natural movement of all individuals is toward positive growth and development; (2) all individuals possess all the resources necessary for positive growth and development; (3) mutual influence and shared responsibility (i.e., everyone and everything is impacted by, and impacts, everyone and everything else); and (4) therapy is a process involving interaction among clients and between clients and therapist (p. 201). In my opinion, these clinical assumptions--despite their apparent validity and practicality--are insufficient for existential guidance. Using Paul's shipwreck metaphor, it's like being lost at sea with a powerful ship but without a compass and map. Christ is the only universal and unfailing compass, map, and harbor.

P

Lord, I dedicate my body to You as a living sacrifice. To the extent that I'm able to do it, I offer myself with full integrity--forgiven of the past, faithful to You in the present, and free to be excited about an eternal future with You. Only in You is life abundant (John 10:10; 11:25). Thank You!

Seeing with Our Ears

S

(Luke 8:18) Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.

O

With those words, Jesus summarized His instruction that people should cause their lives to be like lamps that broadcast His light. Only His unique light, enables people to discover the causes of their stumblings. By listening well to His Words, we discover (we see) those hidden traps that torment us, and if we really see, really hear, really understand, then we will be able to live in right relationship with all other people. This is a great invitation.

A (Personal)

How do I listen carefully? I admit that I'm blind and need His light (Revelation 3:15-22). Then my praying is not unlike a bat swooping and swerving, being guided by its constant sending and receiving of sonar signals. Through prayer, I learn to see things that are otherwise invisible: the Holy Spirit helps me interact safely with people. By listening well, my sight can become a lamp that aids people who have been stumbling in darkness (Job 29:15; Isaiah 29:11-24; 30:20,21).

A (Psychological)

Our brains are constantly working. In its least intentional operations (keeping our vascular and pneumatic systems operating), it's fairly reliable. As our intentionality increases, our aptitude for irrational thinking (as Ellis described it) also increases. Especially while awake, our limbic system constantly assesses our environment for safety and survival conditions ... but not perfectly. Just as trauma (PTSD, for example) can cause our sensory assessments to distort reality; similarly, sin and relational wounds can cause our moral and spiritual assessments to misalign with reality. That's why, in Luke 11:33-36, Jesus repeats the lamp metaphor. This time, He instructs us to let His light bring internal correction. Without that, our eyes and ears are merely conduits for our darkened perceptions instead of His perfectly safe light (Ephesians 4,5).

P

Lord, thank You for Your providing Your Word for us to read so easily and hear so clearly. By reading and studying it, I'm learning to better recognize the sound of Your voice, which helps me cleanse my way of living (Psalm 119:9-11). Thank You for constantly being here to encourage, strengthen, and guide me.

Self Portraits

S

(Matthew 21:27) So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And He said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

O

In His answer to people who pretended ignorance as a devise for avoiding personal honesty and change, He exposed for them their primal fear (verse 26). His next words, "What do you think?" underscored the work He does continually in us--prodding us into honest evaluation of our condition. Likewise, Jesus' first words to our "family of origin" were invitations to honest thinking: "Where are you?" (Genesis 3:9). The cure for soul-sickness begins with our commitment to authenticity.

A (Personal)

If my primal need is to be honest with God, I need to be cautious about pleading ignorance. God wants me to think. If I am truly ignorant, then I need to seek Him and His kingdom above all else. Otherwise, I'll continue deeper into dark fantasies even while telling myself I'm in the light. I see that honesty with God leads to me rightly identifying both my problem and His solution. The Bible calls this alignment of our thoughts with God's Truth repentance (Isaiah 55:6-9; Matthew 4:16,17).

A (Psychological)

The Awareness Wheel has long been a popular intervention among therapists. It helps people discover the inner workings of their brains by asking, "What am I sensing, thinking, feeling, wanting, and doing?" Matthew documents Jesus asking essentially the same questions, as Moses documents Him asking similar questions of our "family of origin." (1) "Who told you that you were naked" (Genesis 3:11) prompts scrutiny of our primal resources. What I am hearing, seeing, sensing, etc. is the raw data that informs my reality. (2) "Where are you" (Genesis 3:9) echoes Jesus' often asked question, "What do you think?" (Matthew 18:12; 21:28). (3) "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen" (Genesis 4:6) prompts my admission of not only the obvious emotion of anger, but also the underlying, primary emotions that fuel both anger and "face falling." (4) "Sin's desire is for you, but you must rule over it" (Genesis 4:7) invites my honesty about my desires. Jesus frequently prompted people to put their wants into actual words and requests so they could be processed (Matthew 20:20, 32). Finally (5) "What have you done" (Genesis 3:13; 4:10) invites my honest consideration of my actions. Jesus is indeed a good therapist.

P

Lord, thank You for pursuing me with Truth. Your questions prod me to translate my thoughts, motives, ambitions, and actions into words. That's not easy, but it helps me to face myself more honestly ... it helps me face You more honestly. The world has opened my eyes to darkness, but You have opened my eyes to rightly see darkness as darkness, and above all joys, to have my heart enlightened that I may know true hope (Ephesians 1:15-23).

Bad Breath Made Beautiful

S

(Ezekiel 37:11) Then He said to me, "Son of Man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold they say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off.' "

O

The Holy Spirit had just shown Ezekiel a dramatic, bizarre visualization of the nation's hopelessness: a valley full of dry, human bones. That pile represented a nation of mortally wounded people. God's answer was for His servant to prophecy God's Word over their hopelessness and lifelessness. That produced the first step: the outward appearance of life but without the life itself. The missing piece, the next step, was the presence and work of God's Spirit.

A (Personal)

It's not enough for me to merely go through the motions of goodness, of mechanically being responsible. It's not an issue of right or wrong, but of fulfillment. Doing good and right is necessary but lifeless without the joy of God's presence, without the delights of living in the fullness of intimacy and loving union with Him. Good deeds may look identical to casual observers, but the condition of one's heart makes all the difference: to be filled with God's Spirit is to be filled with God's love, joy, and peace.

A (Psychological)

Psychology can help with the assembling of bones, sinews, skin, and muscles (figuratively speaking). It can help heal thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It can create an appearance of spiritual life or life-like robotic routines, which is a vast improvement for most people; but it, by itself, cannot create spiritual life. My experience, and more importantly, the revelation of God's Word is that the unique dimension of salvation through Jesus Christ is wholly different from any other experience of life (John 1:4; 5:24,40; 8:12; 11:25; 14:1-6; 1 John 5:20). Interestingly, once people receive new life in Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit sets immediately to work to heal people's psychological problems... and He does this through interactions with people. Interesting.

P

Lord, let me hear joy and gladness; let my bones rejoice because of the forgiving, healing, strengthening works of Your Holy Spirit. Create within me a clean heart and renew within me a right and a steadfast spirit. Don't cast me away from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me, but restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit (from Psalm 51:8-12). May my breath emit Your life.

Who Do You Think I Am, Really?

S

(Philippians 2:6-8) [Christ Jesus], who though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant ... [And] humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even death on a cross.

O

Evidently, Paul was referring at least to Jesus' disciples' testimony and experience of Jesus washing their feet ... and dying in their place (John 13:1-20). Jesus could do that freely because of His completely secure identity. Both Paul and John wrote that explicitly. Jesus was certain about His identity and His relationship with His Heavenly Father, and that security freed Him to humbly serve undeserving, uanappreciative people without violating or even challenging His majesty.

A (Personal)

I find it much too easy to miscalculate my value and other people's value. Instead of basing it on fear or selfishness or a composite of people's opinions, I need to base personal value on God's calculations. I (as are so many others) am a beloved child of God. He treasures me and sought my affections even though it cost Him dearly. Therefore, me being a foot washer or brick stacker is completely unrelated to my dignity. Instead, my attitude and character, reveal whether I have allowed Christ's image and "lovefulness" to redefine me.

A (Psychological)

According to Pauline Boss (Family Stress Management: A Contextual Approach, 2002), the ABC-X model of family stress identifies the level of crisis (X) as the composite of A (the provoking event or stressor), B (the family's resources or strengths at the time of the event), and C (the meaning attached to the event by the family, both individually and collectively). When a person or family's identity is unclear or its boundaries ambiguous (who is in and who is out), its identity is no longer maintainable: its roles are confused, tasks are undone, cognitions are blocked, decisions are delayed, and coping and grieving processes are frozen (p. 47, 95). Having a clear sense of identity and family belonging and purpose is essential for health.

P

Lord, You have received me into Your family as Your own child. How can I ever thank You enough as I explore all the benefits and meaning included in that? I marvel that as I increasingly know and love You, I simultaneously get a better and calmer grip on who I am and how I can, in very practical ways, increase my value to others ... without losing my identity in You. Amazing!

Restoring Love and Trust

S

(Jeremiah 50:20) In those days and in that time, declares the Lord, iniquity shall be sought in Israel, and there shall be none. And in Judah, and none shall be found, for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.

O

Those days and that time describe God's restoration of Israel and Judah after His judgment and anger were fully vented--exhausted--on them for their sins (Lamentations 4:11). This is a picture of what Jesus absorbed for us on the cross. The result is complete amnesty, total exoneration for the remnant of people that choose to receive Christ's substitutionary sacrifice and His unmerited restoration.

A (Personal)

Wow! I want to be like this remnant in whom God Himself found no wrong: "In those days and in that time, declares the Lord, the people of Israel and the people of Judah shall come together, weeping as they come, and they shall seek the Lord their God. They shall ask the way to Zion [God's kingdom], with faces turned toward it, saying, 'Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that shall never be forgotten' " (Jeremiah 50:4,5).

A (Psychological)

Hargrave and Pfitzer (The New Contextual Therapy, 2003) have documented that the disastrous effects that come from violations of love and trust include psychological and relational pain. Specifically, as those violations remain untended (productively) and unresolved, the individuals move deeper into unhealthy feelings and actions. As the feelings become more extreme, the individuals experience rage or shame (or both). As the actions decompensate, the individuals grasp more desperately for control or surrender more deeply to chaos. The only way out of these prisons is through legitimate restorations of love and trust in relationships (pp. 36-37).

P

Thank You, Heavenly Father, for venting Your wrath onto Your Son so I might be accepted. Restore us to Yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored! Renew our days according to Your original images so we might live with strength and peace, with love and trust, in Your eternal kingdom (Lamentations 5:22,23).

Deliberate Health

S

(Isaiah 62:1) For Zion's sake, I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness and her salvation as a burning torch.

O

Following this verse, Isaiah revealed his justification for making all of his public declarations. This justification served as motive, method, and goal: his positive and irresistibly beautiful goal motivated him keep speaking and it shaped his words. It kept him from giving up and withdrawing into silent despair. In verses 1-5, his justification for prophesy, Isaiah listed eight divine destinations (note that he did not list eight condemnations). Love, therefore, spoken well, keeps people's focus on God's goals.

A (Personal)

When I'm frustrated by myself or others, I want to reconstruct my words so I focus on what Isaiah focused on: being a living demonstration of God's (1) righteousness, (2) salvation (wholeness), (3) glory, (4) fitting title (name), (5) beauty, (6) benevolence, (7) delights, and (8) joys. Now that is worth talking about. That is good news indeed.

A (Psychological)

DeShazer, whether intentional or not, has developed a therapeutic model on that basic concept (Prochaska & Norcross, Systems of Psychotherapy: A Transtheoretical Analysis. 2003, p. 463). "Therapy begins by focusing on goals in the present that can construct a better future." Once the problem story is told, the therapist is prepared to shift the focus to solutions ("When the problem is solved, what will you be doing differently?) and exceptions ("How is what you will be doing differently happening some now?" or "When isn't the problem happening"). The all-significant difference, though, is that that God's goals many not be immediately apparent to clients or therapists who are focusing merely on the client's goals ... although that may well lead to the insight that God's goals are the hidden roots of everything good that people desire.

P

Lord, in the midst of failure and disappointment, it's all to easy to focus on the problems instead of the destiny You provide. You are so encouraging! Help me to be an encouragement to others today, too.

Only Servants Have Moral Superiority

S

(1 Samuel 25:32) And David said to Abigail, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me!"

O

Abigail was threatened by two quasi-kings. She quietly and actively defied her "worthless" husband Nabal to rescue their family from his dangerous misuse of prosperity and authority. In contrast, she openly confronted David in order to rescue her family from his cruel misuse of power and control. Her own repentance for "not seeing the servants David sent" (verses 24-28) seems mind-bogglingly trivial in contrast, but her repentance was the suspenseful event that finally opened their prison walls so they could escape from disaster into safety and wisdom.

A (Personal)

In this story, only the servants do right and see accurately. I see that only by taking on that role and those responsibilities do people make good choices. Abigail offered herself to David's service (and became a true queen). David, when he acted as God's servant, recognized that he needed to submit to and obey Abigail's request. And this story begins with a surprise guest of even greater importance. In this notice of Samuel's death, readers are reminded of the life of the greatest servant that David and Abigail's generations had ever seen. Samuel's life, from start to finish, was an unblemished example of honorable, honest service, even though he served in the shadow of greatly inferior kings. Hmmm ... whom do I relate to most in this story?

A (Psychological)

Yalom, in his book, The Gift of Therapy, advises a new generation of therapists to cherish their patients as actually mattering greatly to them. He says, "Let them enter your mind, influence you, change you--and [do] not to conceal this from them" (p. 27). Larson explains that "our empathy and helping usually begin with a perception of a social bond with people needing assistance," and our bonds of "we-ness" help us resist the barriers and destructive blindnesses of "they-ness" (The Helper's Journey, p. 16). This shift is very difficult. The conflicting values of Nabal's, Abigail's, David's, and their servants would have been impossible to sort out (except by sheer violence) had it not been for the respect given to the higher authority--God's kingdom. Both Abigail's and David's decisions to repent are not unlike an addict's challenge to disengage from neurotic paradoxical behaviors--the addict's constant choice to continue in self-defeating behaviors even while recognizing the counterproductive nature of those actions (Larson, p. 72). Our answer as well lies in valuing the long-term gains that are achieved by sacrificing one's short-term, immediate comfort and safety. David and Abigail's encounter demonstrates the reasonableness of the psyche of Christ's kingdom, where servants are given the greater honor and authority (Luke 22:24-27; John 13:1-17).

P

Lord, I long to serve You. I dislike serving my Nabal-like tendencies of inflating of my own importance. For too long, I've served my David-the-Controller tendencies to push my own agenda. How long have I indulged in Abigail-like blindness and avoided recognizing the importance of the people you've sent to influence me? Instead of being stone-hearted, I want to repent like David and Abigail did. I want to be constant and faithful, like Samuel was. May I always keep Your service--never my own sense of entitlement--as my sole objective.

Warning: Mature Moral Themes

S
(Deuteronomy 21:18-21) ... Then his father and his mother shall take hold of him ... and say to the elders of the city, "This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he is a glutton and a drunkard." Then all the men of the city what stone him to death ... so shall you purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

O
What happens in the privacy of homes--the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of private disciplines--can disfigure individuals, families, and an entire nation's personality. In Hebrew, stubborn [5627] is the state of defecting from and resisting a healthy relationship. Rebellion [4784] is overt defiance, a callous and bitter offensiveness. Gluttony [2151] is a flighty, frivolous inability to value morals or appreciate the gravity of larger consequences. Drunkenness [5435] is a dependence on being inebriated (hiding reality). God holds people corporately and individually responsible for identifying and purging the both presence and practice of such evils. This perfect storm, however, of rejecting correction (stubbornness), disregarding or even denying others' pain (rebellion), defending moral delusions (gluttony) while defying truth (drunkenness), is best summarized as a rejection of Jesus Christ--the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).

A (Personal)
Herod and various Hebrew kings (including David) demonstrate the terrifying and subtle ease with which these deceptive patterns can take root in one's heart. In history, we learn of destructiveness of the Milosevics, Stalins, Hitlers, and Chairman Maos, and we lament not having stopped them from gaining such power. The question begs to be answered: "What am I doing to resist the seeds of such harm in my own soul and in the souls of people I love and live near?"

A (Psychological)
In her book, Evil Genes: Why Rome Fell, Hitler Rose, Enron Failed, and My Sister Stole My Mother's Boyfriend (2007), Barbara Oakley has brilliantly set the problem of evil in the intersection of history, psychology, and genome-based research. The collision is spectacular. She defines this Machiavellian personality in a way that, from my view, matches the successfully sinister evil that Moses proscribed: "a person who is charming on the surface, a genius at sucking up to power but capable of mind-boggling acts of deceit for control or personal gain... [a person who is] unscrupulous and self-serving and therefore capable of deeply malign behavior... a person whose narcissism combines with subtle cognitive and emotional disturbances in such a fashion as to make him believe that achieving his own desires, and his alone, is a genuinely beneficial--even altruistic--activity. Since the Machiavellian gives more emotional weight to his own importance than to that of anyone or anything else, achieving the growth of his preeminence by any means possible is always justified in his own mind. [These disturbances mean Machiavellians] can make judgments that dispassionate observers would regard as unfair or irrational. At the same time, however, the Machiavellians' unusual ability to charm, manipulate, and threaten can coerce others into ignoring their conscience and treading a darker path" (pp. 280-281).

P
Lord, I echo David's prayer: "Who rises up for me against the wicked? If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would have lived in the land of silence" (Psalm 94:16,17). I commit myself to stand against--first of all--the evil that seeks safety and welcome in my own thoughts. Lord, I cry out for Your insight so I could discern rightly between good and evil, and so I'd have courage to follow You even when it seems difficult (1 Kings 3:5-13). Lord, save us from ourselves.

Our Valuable Voices

S

(Leviticus 5:1) If anyone sins in that he hears a public adjuration to testify, and through he is a witness, whether he has seen or come to know the matter, yet does not speak, he shall bear his iniquity.

O

God holds people morally, spiritually, and socially responsible for what they witness and learn. In the process of healing communities (collective individuals), He expects people to contribute their own stories and understandings so the pool of common knowledge is made richer and broader.

A (Personal)

I often think my story or personal perspective is insignificant--sometimes because it's so different from other views, sometimes because it's so similar. Yes, seeing differently can also mean opportunity for growth, and seeing similarly can also mean opportunity for reinforcing truth and encouraging people. Through Wisdom's careful and constant tutoring, I can learn to discern (by faith) when my voice helps and when it hurts the building up of others. Sometimes, too, my contribution to the community might be in the initial voice that calls for this public adjuration.

A (Psychological)

Miller, Miller, Nunnally, and Wackman have created the popular "Awareness Wheel," which is a therapeutic intervention that helps couples skillfully invite their partners to communicate their thoughts with greater specificity (http://www.couplecommunication.com/). The couples learn to express themselves in five dimensions: Sensory Data (sight, hearing, felt sensations, smell, taste); Thoughts, Feelings (emotions); Wants (goals and motives); and Actions (specific behaviors). I think it also helps individuals better understand their own views of an issue. Although this tool uses a wheel metaphor, I've seen others effectively adapt it to a barrel or cylinder metaphor to indicate the depth issues have below the surface. I prefer yet another adaptation of that--the bank safety deposit box metaphor. I believe that buried in our brains are valuable insights that, like safety deposit boxes, contain perspectives that, if shared with others, can make both the owners and the community much richer. Sometimes we need other people's help in understanding just how valuable our insights are.

P

Lord, I know so little about how to measure the social value of the contributions of my story, my hypotheses, my observations. I am thankful, regardless of my maturity or accurate perceptions, that You love hearing my voice as I honestly and humbly talk to You and seek Your wisdom. So I submit my thoughts wholly to You and Your purposes: "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength (my Rock) and my Redeemer" (Psalm 19:14).

Love vs. Truth

S

(1 Peter 1:22) Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth through the Spirit so that you have a genuine mutual love, love one another deeply [constantly] from a pure heart (NRSV).

O

Our souls [psuche] are that immaterial, psychological part of our being that we have in common with animals--the seat of our sensations, appetites, and passions. It's corrupted (impure), but God can progressively heal it through His Spirit's communion with ours. (Only people, however, have a spirit [pneuma] which can come alive to commune with God.) Peter defines purification as becoming holy--fully devoted to God. Peter explains that we purify our souls by obeying truth (which He defines as God's Word).

A (Personal)

So how do we know we walk in the reality of truth? What test may I apply so I know that I am purified in body, soul, and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23)? I'm glad Peter was so wonderfully clear. If I have a genuine, reciprocal, and continuous love for people, I know I have been shaped by the realities of God's Word and have been fully dedicated to Him (1 John 3:18,19).

A (Psychological)

The congruency or authenticity of a person's life is a key component of psychological assessments. In communication assessments, Virginia Satir believed one's looks, feelings, tone of voice, and body language should congruently (purely) reflect the same message. As a person-centered therapist, Carl Roger asserts, "the core of psychological maladjustment is the incongruity between the organism's total experience and what is accurately symbolized as part of the self-concept. The incongruence between self and experience is the basic estrangement in human beings. [Like] a house divided against itself [Matthew 12:25] ... psychopathology reflects a divided personality, with the tensions, defenses, and inadequate functioning that accompany a lack of wholeness" (Prochaska and Norcross. 2003. p. 144).

I disagree, however, with Rogerian unconditional positive regard toward clients. Prochaska and Norcross explain that, according to Existentialist and Gestalt therapists (pp. 124, 192), in order to be authentic (pure, congruent), the therapist can respond with positive regard only toward honesty and authenticity but never toward lying and pathology. Psychology struggles, therefore, in this double bind of recognizing the struggle and necessity of living in congruently with reality (truth) while also recognizing the struggle and necessity of sharing life and values congruently with others (love). Once again, Scripture (through this letter of Peter's) provides a realistic and beneficial means of doing that. God's Word is that objective Truth to the extent that we understand it from God's perspective rather than our individualistic human interpretations. The more consistently we align with it, then the more we will also be able to consistently experience a shared unconditional positive regard (love) for others. Our congruent, realistic integration of God's Truth with God's Love, therefore, answers this psychological dilemma.

P

Lord, nothing could be more fun! I've discovered that I'm healthiest and happiest when I'm truly and deeply loving people--especially those hard-to-love people in my life. And it is certainly fun to be loved by people, tool Thank You for bringing us into Your life so we can know and enjoy Your love!

Avoiding Getting Lost

S

(2 Chronicles 32:25) But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore, wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem.

O

This describes Hezekiah's deathbed struggle (fortunately, he repented and turned the wrath away). At age 31, six years into his monarchy, he saw the Assyrians raze Israel and enslave its people. At age 39, the Assyrians returned to do the same to him and Judah--but God miraculously intervened in response to Hezekiah's humble prayers. Following that victory, vast wealth flowed into Judah's treasuries and international esteem laid siege Hezekiah's heart ... successfully hardening it.

A (Personal)

How frighteningly, easily prosperity and favor turns grace into arrogance and entitlement. "Hezekiah prospered in all his works ... [and] God left him to himself, in order to test him and to know all that was in his heart" (verses 30, 31). Through Hezekiah's example, God teaches me to guard my heart with all diligence (Proverbs 4:23; Philippians 4:4-7) and to "return" to Him whenever He bestows benefits into my life. (This Hebrew word means to "convert" or to make "movement back to the point of departure.)

A (Psychological)

All change (positive or negative) creates stress. It rearranges the equilibrium or homeostasis of the family system, which creates a need to redefine its structure, rules, roles, and relationships. Pauline Boss, in her book Family Stress Management: A Contextual Approach, describes Hill's ABC-X model of stress management: A (provoking event or stressor), B (the family's resources or strengths at the time of the event), C (the meaning attached to the event by the family, individually and collectively), and X (the degree of stress). According to this model, when the ratio between the family system's support and the pressure on it shifts so that the pressure decreases and the support become stronger, recovery is occurring. Turning points result from (a) a change in the stressor event, (b) a change in the availability of resources for coping, or (c) a change in the family's perception of both factors (p. 67).

In these revelations of Hezekiah's life, Hezekiah failed to learn from his father Abraham's positive example. Whenever Abraham experienced a major change (positive or negative) in his life, he returned to his foundational promises from God--he renegotiated the changes back into the context of God's call and provisions for his life. He typically built an altar to solidify his restored relationship with the Lord. By doing this, he renewed his access to his family's (and the Lord's) resources (B in the ABC-X model) and he redefined the meaning of the event in the context of God's eternal perspective (C in the ABC-X model). This allowed him and his family to be resilient in the presence of change and worldly uncertainties.

P

Lord, I see that You long to bless me, but Your very blessings can easily become cement that hardens my heart. What can I "return" to You for all the benefits You lavish on me? Like David, I'll take the cup of salvation You offer me, I'll call upon Your name, I'll offer thanks to You, and I'll keep my promises to You (Psalms 116:12; 56:12).

7 Scars of Wisdom

S

(James 3:17) But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield [reasonable], full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy (NRSV).

O

Apparently, two kinds of wisdom are available to us: heavenly-spiritual or earthly-unspiritual-demonic (v. 15). Double-minded people grope for both kinds but end up with only the latter type, which bears the fruits of complete instability, disorder, and wickedness (1:5-8; 3:13-18). Getting Heaven's wisdom seems to be an if-then condition: James encourages us that if our ambition for God's wisdom is pure, then the results of His discipline of our lives will be evidenced by these seven marks of His wisdom (see also Hebrews 12:11).

A (Personal)

How then do I get this pure wisdom from God and its seven, highly prized evidences? James instructs: Just ask God for it. However, when asking (praying), ask from a heart that completely trusts God and delights only in fulfilling God's pleasures. His wisdom is not for fulfilling my hedonistic preferences or selfish lusts.

A (Psychological)

In the process of helping batterers learn to stop abusing their partner, several interventions include analyzing the emotions that trigger behaviors. Then, working backwards, they analyze the thoughts that trigger those emotions, and finally, they identify the belief constructs that trigger their destructive thought patterns. The hypothesis is that beliefs trigger thoughts, which trigger emotions, which trigger behaviors. What's missing, though, is the will. One might hold a belief system but still not be committed to it (James 2:19).

Existentialist Kierkegaard wrote the book, Purity of Heart Is to Will One Thing, and he defined it as seeking Good. He, as a Christian philosopher, believed Jesus Christ alone was purely good (Luke 18:19; Romans 10:4). Kierkegaard asks four questions to help people identify their primary motives and ambitions (central to what James discusses in this text): (1) What is your preoccupation with life? (2) In your occupation, what is your attitude of mind? Or how do you carry out your occupation? (3) What means do you use to carry out your occupation? Kierkegaard adds that means is as important as the end, as aim is a better measurement of the goal that where the bullet actually hits. And (4) What is your attitude towards others ... is it one of integrity, purity, and authenticity?

P

Thank You, Lord, for teaching us from Your Word how we might know our motives are pure from Your perspective. As James explained (4:7-10), I, too, (1) submit myself to You, (2) resist the devil's deceptions, (3) seek intimacy with You, (4) eliminate all competing motives from my heart, (5) commit myself to only doing good, (6) engage myself fully in repentance, and (7) humble myself to the supremacy of Your wisdom and goodness.

Healthy Stumps and Crucified Forests

S

(Isaiah 11:3,4) And [the Messiah's] delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what His eyes see or decide disputes by what His ears hear, but with righteousness He shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth....

O

Because His greatest pleasure and longing is to revere the Lord, the Messiah is not deceived by what He sees or by what disputers tell Him. His love and respect for His heavenly Father awakens yet another sense--His ability to sniff out, to smell with pleasure the invisible and inaudible presence and works of the Holy Spirit. His keen sensitivity to God equips Him to serve and lead and heal people. Isaiah said this is the result of the Holy Spirit resting on Him.

A (Personal)

Jesus makes available to me the same resource that helped Him teach and heal people: the Holy Spirit. The Spirit's gifts are described in three pairs (verse 2): (1) wisdom and understanding--intellectual and moral insight, (2) counsel and might--sound practical judgment with sufficient vigor to respond appropriately, and (3) knowledge and fear of God--the two parts of true religion (acquaintance with God through the foundation of love and reverential awe of God that prompts obedience).

A (Psychological)

When helping people work through disputes, more covert activity (invisible, inaudible) is taking place than is overtly presented. R. Michael's Metaframework describes the hidden feedback loops between people's means of process, organization, and development. Change and positive growth is complex, yet careful assessment that uses both overt and covert information is a vital part of the helping process. Through this prophecy of Isaiah's, God revealed that the culmination of godless wisdom leaves us devastated, like a clear-cut forest. Human wisdom and insight--though absolutely necessary--is insufficient. Yet, by conceding the fearful vulnerability of our blindness and deafness, with the Holy Spirit's input our hearing and eyesight (insight and judgment) can become fruitful (Isaiah 32:1-8).

P

Lord, thank You for making my foolishnesses such valuable teaching points. They now help me recognize Your presence and superiority. I choose to echo Paul's prayer in Romans 15:13,14, "God of Hope, fill me with all joy and peace in believing so I might abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit, so I might be full of goodness and all knowledge necessary for my day, and so I might be able to help others to perceive You, too."

Fresh Bread from a Real Baker

S

(Isaiah 10:20) In that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no more lean on him who struck them, but will lean on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

O

Biblically, a primary life-issue is deciding where we lean for support. People put their trust in their personal confidants (2 Kings 7:2, 17). Nations and rulers place their hopes in other nations and rulers (Isaiah 31:1). Saul tried to lean on the point of his spear in hope of escaping his fears (2 Samuel 1:6). We were created to be dependent on others, but as Isaiah said, survivors of difficulties learn that anything we lean on--except the Lord--will eventually "strike us." It's a dark outlook, except for the few who learn to live in community while leaning on the Lord for truth.

A (Personal)

How do I live in healthy community with broken people? How do I exclusively and safely trust the Lord? Jeremiah answered that and he was quoted in Hebrews 8:10-12: (1) covenant with God on His terms, (2) let God put His laws in my mind and heart, (3) identify myself as God's, (4) teach others to lean on Him above all others and to know Him, and (5) abandon my sins to God's "box" of all that He's forgiven.

A (Psychological)

Nancy Clark, a PNW counselor who's helped many people abandon unhealthy and distorted views of family life, created a clever metaphor about people who repeatedly trust seriously broken people. Many of her clients and students had insisted on remaining in abusive relationships with alcoholic or violent men, hoping that they would be able to change them or that they would "really keep their promises this time." She equated that to going to Radio Shack over and over and insisting on buying fresh bread from them--but in truth, it's simply not available there, it never will be. One of the hardest and least successful works of psychology is helping people abandon self-destructive ideas and behaviors.

P

Lord, I want to be one of the survivors, one of the remnant who leans on You in truth. I covenant myself to trust You with all my heart, to not lean on my own understanding, to acknowledge You in all my ways, and to let You make my paths straight, even if You see that I need serious reproof along with Your comforts and guidance (Proverbs 3:5, 6, 11, 12).