In sports, when coaches prepare their teams for games, particularly
when the other team is more highly thought of, they will remind their own players
that the other team is like them, they put on their pants one leg at a time. Don’t
make too much of those other guys is the message. Here, the writer, a king, perhaps Solomon,
delivers that same message about himself.
I came into the world just like every other person, I am not
ontologically different than others, a strange thing for a king in that time
and region to say. That recognition, if
Solomon is indeed the author, was crucial to his gaining wisdom. We know that when he ascended the throne of
his father David he was given a choice of anything his heart desired of the
Lord and he asked for wisdom to rule well and rightly because he knew he lacked
such. Humility is always the right
attitude before the Lord.
John was a man who had right priorities and attitudes. That said, all don’t have to go into the
wilderness and live rough eating locusts as their diet. He had a mind for one thing, the kingdom of
God. He believed God that his mission
was to prepare a people and through his ministry the Messiah would be revealed
and he cast aside all that would have inhibited that from happening. He feared no man, was not a man-pleaser, and
believed fully. When his own arrest
happened, and it looked like this would end badly, John sent his disciples to
Jesus to ask, are you really the one? Ancient
commentaries said he did this because he wanted his disciples to have hope and
to attach themselves to Jesus. More modern
commentaries say that John was in doubt and that Jesus’ leaving out of the
setting prisoners free meant John would not be set free and would have to
persevere in faith without receiving what he sought. I don’t know which it is but I do know this,
he sent his disciples with a question to the only person on earth who knew the
answer to the question. He didn’t ask
for anyone else’s opinion, only Jesus’.
Jesus’ answer was to say, have I done all the things I just quoted from
Isaiah? All would have to decide on
faith.
In yesterday’s reading, Paul commanded us to put off certain
things, sinful behaviors and attitudes. Today,
we get the putting on of things to replace the old “clothing” of our
lives. The Christian life isn’t merely
what we don’t do, “drink, cuss, smoke or chew or go with girls (or boys) who
do.” Christians should look distinctive
in their way of living. Paul says that
those attributes include, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness,
and patience, bearing with one another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has
forgiven you, loving, peaceful and thankfulness.
Who wouldn’t want to be part of a community of people characterized by
these traits? We need help with all
these and one way to get that help is to let the word of Christ dwell in you
richly. It all begins with the humility
to recognize that we need Him to change us and provide us with all we need to
become such people. Solomon knew the
people needed a wise king, we should likewise know what the world needs us to
be if they are to know Him.
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