- Sep 26, 2018
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Being a Christian is sometimes not easy. We are besieged by others and it are usually our so-called brothers and sisters. We should not fear so often for the non-believer but for those who are supposedly our brothers and sisters. The unbeliever sometimes has more ear for what we say than our brothers and sisters. Sometimes we are insulted by them, mocked and humiliated. False accused and belittled. Then we have to look at Christ. After all, he was also treated like that by the people he had initially come for.
So if we are treated like that by our so-called brothers and sisters, then we can be happy. Then we may even feel honored that we are treated like this. Christ is clear about this when He says: If they treat you like they treated Me, be glad, because a great treasure awaits you in Heaven. And He also says: That they treat you like that is normal, because they have treated the prophets just the same for you.
I do not wish to say that I am a prophet. I am a sinner. I am one of the greatest sinners among you all. But if God can only work through word and deed, in not sinners, then I think God is unemployed. God sometimes uses that which is the dirt of the earth for those who deem themselves so wise to be ashamed. God uses the weak and the ignorant to shame those who are strong and knowing. Because for God we are all equal. There is no strong and knowing and weak and ignorant in His eyes. Because for Him we are all weak and ignorant and we all need Christ.
I think of the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. How the Pharisee prayed to God, saying all the good that he did. How the tax collector, on the other hand, knocked on his chest and did not even dare to look up to heaven and said: Have mercy for this sinner. Christ was clear in what that meant: only the tax collector went outside legitimately. We are all sinners before God. God makes no difference, it is we who make that difference. We can not deny, however good we may be, that we do not need Christ. Each of us, believer and non-believer, needs Him. If we did not need Him, then we would be really strong. But that's not true. If we were knowing, we would be equal to God. But that's not true. We are all ignorant and weak. And God alone can make us strong and knowing.
We can not do that from ourselves because then we would not need God. That is not what God's plan was with us. God has made us ready to receive guidance. He wants to be a Father over us who leads us to safe waters. To good sources and peaceful pastures. He wants to lead us. That is why He has made us so that if we lead ourselves we will only go to destruction. I mean by that: if we rely on ourselves and ourselves alone, then we will get into trouble. We can not rely on ourselves. If we could, we would not make mistakes. Then we would not do stupid things. No, to really have a good and beautiful life, we must trust in God. And God wanted it that way and nobody has anything to say about that.
Because it is as it is written: does a pot complain to the potter that he is not well made? We have nothing to say about how God made us because when we comment on that, it is only because we are ignorant and do not have the realization why it is so. We need to trust God, in everything, because God truly has the good for us and knows it. Therefore, if you feel weak and ignorant, be glad, for it is in that weakness that God's power can be fully manifested. For it is through someone who thinks himself weak that God wants to work, so that everyone who sees this man sees the wonderful works of God. Because that person will always agree: I am weak and ignorant. But look, he does great things and shows a lot of knowledge. Thus the honor is placed with God, and that is how God wants it.
Therefore, do not be afraid to show that you are weak and ignorant. For when you are strong and knowing, it will testify to God's power in you. Many think they should have an answer to everything but that is impossible. Sometimes it's better to say: I do not know. Because in reality that is the truth.
So if we are treated like that by our so-called brothers and sisters, then we can be happy. Then we may even feel honored that we are treated like this. Christ is clear about this when He says: If they treat you like they treated Me, be glad, because a great treasure awaits you in Heaven. And He also says: That they treat you like that is normal, because they have treated the prophets just the same for you.
I do not wish to say that I am a prophet. I am a sinner. I am one of the greatest sinners among you all. But if God can only work through word and deed, in not sinners, then I think God is unemployed. God sometimes uses that which is the dirt of the earth for those who deem themselves so wise to be ashamed. God uses the weak and the ignorant to shame those who are strong and knowing. Because for God we are all equal. There is no strong and knowing and weak and ignorant in His eyes. Because for Him we are all weak and ignorant and we all need Christ.
I think of the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. How the Pharisee prayed to God, saying all the good that he did. How the tax collector, on the other hand, knocked on his chest and did not even dare to look up to heaven and said: Have mercy for this sinner. Christ was clear in what that meant: only the tax collector went outside legitimately. We are all sinners before God. God makes no difference, it is we who make that difference. We can not deny, however good we may be, that we do not need Christ. Each of us, believer and non-believer, needs Him. If we did not need Him, then we would be really strong. But that's not true. If we were knowing, we would be equal to God. But that's not true. We are all ignorant and weak. And God alone can make us strong and knowing.
We can not do that from ourselves because then we would not need God. That is not what God's plan was with us. God has made us ready to receive guidance. He wants to be a Father over us who leads us to safe waters. To good sources and peaceful pastures. He wants to lead us. That is why He has made us so that if we lead ourselves we will only go to destruction. I mean by that: if we rely on ourselves and ourselves alone, then we will get into trouble. We can not rely on ourselves. If we could, we would not make mistakes. Then we would not do stupid things. No, to really have a good and beautiful life, we must trust in God. And God wanted it that way and nobody has anything to say about that.
Because it is as it is written: does a pot complain to the potter that he is not well made? We have nothing to say about how God made us because when we comment on that, it is only because we are ignorant and do not have the realization why it is so. We need to trust God, in everything, because God truly has the good for us and knows it. Therefore, if you feel weak and ignorant, be glad, for it is in that weakness that God's power can be fully manifested. For it is through someone who thinks himself weak that God wants to work, so that everyone who sees this man sees the wonderful works of God. Because that person will always agree: I am weak and ignorant. But look, he does great things and shows a lot of knowledge. Thus the honor is placed with God, and that is how God wants it.
Therefore, do not be afraid to show that you are weak and ignorant. For when you are strong and knowing, it will testify to God's power in you. Many think they should have an answer to everything but that is impossible. Sometimes it's better to say: I do not know. Because in reality that is the truth.
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