2/12/09 Musings: Otherworldliness by John.

Intelligence, knowledge and wisdom are things that all people I've ever met believe they have. Oh, some recognize they aren't the smartest, the best educated, or the wisest, but almost everyone thinks they are on, or near, the top of the heap.

Ego is a Freudian term, but ego is a human problem that makes for poor relationships. We are too much like the Pharisee Jesus spoke of in Luke 18:10-12. He prayed thanking God that he was not like other men who were robbers, evildoers or adulterers. He looked about and saw the tax collector and added him to list. It's not that we shouldn't value ourselves, but we should see ourselves as we really are, and most of us are a long way from perfect.

We would do better to be like the tax collector who recognized that he was a real sinner. He knew in his heart that he did not please God, and he did not expect anything from God other than judgment, but because he believed, he approached God. He didn't go up to the altar because of his guilt. Maybe he didn't know the words and methods of the time used in prayer, so he just emptied his heart (Luke 18:13). He said, "God have mercy on me a sinner!"

Jesus' story about these two men raised a loaded question, and all of those who heard knew the right answer, but I'm sure they all knew that they could not honestly give it.

Most of the time this parable is used to tell lost people they need to repent and come to Jesus, but it applies equally well to all who trust Jesus for salvation, too. Paul writing in I Corinthians 15:31 said, "I die every day--I mean that, brothers--just as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord." Most of us need to recognize our self-centeredness, and like Paul put our fleshly nature to death every day! Paul asked the Colossians (and Laodiceans), "Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules:..." (Colossians 2:20) He follows that with some of the physical no, noes that people of that time labeled sin quite similar to some of those we label sin today. Then in 3:2,3 he said, "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." He didn't mean that we should be so otherworldly that we are no earthly good! Far from it! He means a Christian with a healthy personality is one who can enjoy his life serving others in the name and stead of Jesus! We know we will live forever, and we need to help others gain that same gift from God!

When I was in kindergarten about a million years ago, our teachers taught us the little song that says, "Rueben, Rueben, I've been thinking what a queer world this would be if all the boys were transported far beyond the northern sea!" Hey! This is a wonderful world! And it will be ever more wonderful if, and when, our lives are tuned to God! With Him, the wonders never cease! They abound! And that is what heaven will be like! It's worth any price we can pay for it, but Jesus has already paid it all, and all we need do is accept His payment and commit ourselves to Him. That kind of other worldliness is eons away from science fiction.