Jacob
2006-11-27 01:45:02 UTC
Have you ever had the experience when you learned something precious
from someone from whom you didn't expect that sort of thing? I have,
several times. I am ashamed to say that I "didn't expect much" from
some people, indicating some kind of pride on my part. But God has been
gracious to open my eyes to see how precious each one of His created
beings is to Him.
"Can anything good come out of Nazareth?", asked Nathaniel, and he was
a man without guile! (Jn.1:46,47). We have this despising attitude not
only towards individual people but also to communities and even races
as a whole. Why do we consider ourselves to be superior? Of course,
when we look around at people we do find certain despicable
characteristics in many of them. We can't pretend otherwise. But we too
have some things wrong with us, don't we? If we were to compare
ourselves with some people and say that we are not like them, but
better, don't we also have to say that in certain other things they are
better? That recognition should keep us in our place.
I am not trying to take a philosophical approach and conclude that
there is good in everyone, sort of glossing over some of the wicked or
evil things that there are in some people. I am writing about a
practical approach where we do recognise that all is not well with
everyone we meet, but where we also realise that there may be some
things we can learn from them. Sometimes, praise God, the things we
learn may come in the form of a challenge for our own life, where we
see we need to change. But sometimes we may also learn to avoid some
viewpoints, attitudes or approach that others have taken. But there can
be something we can learn.
But I am thinking more about our own attitude that writes off certain
people, keeping ourselves shut off to the precious things that we can
receive from others. Who do we think we are, anyway? If there is
anything good in us that makes us better in any way from some of the
others isn't that a work of God? (1Co.4:7). Do we think, God forbid,
that there is nothing that we need to learn from the others? Sometimes
we may think that we can learn only from 'spiritual' people. But we can
become spiritual only if we are willing to learn. The more spiritual we
are, the more eager we are to learn, because we know there is so much
more to learn than we know. The more mature we are, the more eager we
are to become better, because we know there is so much in us that needs
to be changed.
There is no condemnation when we see our faults or lacks, because we
know that our Father has accepted us just as we are (Ro.8:1). We don't
become any less when we acknowledge our lacks or faults, for the same
reason. Therefore let us not shy away from looking squarely at our
faults. An objective awareness of our faults and lacks will give us a
desire to change, and that will help us to be more willing to learn
from others.
http://www.c-n-c.org
from someone from whom you didn't expect that sort of thing? I have,
several times. I am ashamed to say that I "didn't expect much" from
some people, indicating some kind of pride on my part. But God has been
gracious to open my eyes to see how precious each one of His created
beings is to Him.
"Can anything good come out of Nazareth?", asked Nathaniel, and he was
a man without guile! (Jn.1:46,47). We have this despising attitude not
only towards individual people but also to communities and even races
as a whole. Why do we consider ourselves to be superior? Of course,
when we look around at people we do find certain despicable
characteristics in many of them. We can't pretend otherwise. But we too
have some things wrong with us, don't we? If we were to compare
ourselves with some people and say that we are not like them, but
better, don't we also have to say that in certain other things they are
better? That recognition should keep us in our place.
I am not trying to take a philosophical approach and conclude that
there is good in everyone, sort of glossing over some of the wicked or
evil things that there are in some people. I am writing about a
practical approach where we do recognise that all is not well with
everyone we meet, but where we also realise that there may be some
things we can learn from them. Sometimes, praise God, the things we
learn may come in the form of a challenge for our own life, where we
see we need to change. But sometimes we may also learn to avoid some
viewpoints, attitudes or approach that others have taken. But there can
be something we can learn.
But I am thinking more about our own attitude that writes off certain
people, keeping ourselves shut off to the precious things that we can
receive from others. Who do we think we are, anyway? If there is
anything good in us that makes us better in any way from some of the
others isn't that a work of God? (1Co.4:7). Do we think, God forbid,
that there is nothing that we need to learn from the others? Sometimes
we may think that we can learn only from 'spiritual' people. But we can
become spiritual only if we are willing to learn. The more spiritual we
are, the more eager we are to learn, because we know there is so much
more to learn than we know. The more mature we are, the more eager we
are to become better, because we know there is so much in us that needs
to be changed.
There is no condemnation when we see our faults or lacks, because we
know that our Father has accepted us just as we are (Ro.8:1). We don't
become any less when we acknowledge our lacks or faults, for the same
reason. Therefore let us not shy away from looking squarely at our
faults. An objective awareness of our faults and lacks will give us a
desire to change, and that will help us to be more willing to learn
from others.
http://www.c-n-c.org