May the mumbling commence!
Don’t get too caught up in what you’ve
accomplished. Give credit where credit
is due. Acknowledge God as the source of
all wisdom, strength and accomplishment.
If you don’t, you will suffer from the same problems that King
Nebuchadnezzar had.
Who is hurt by this
narcissism? It’s not only you. Many other people suffer… particularly the
most vulnerable. Read from Daniel
chapter four:
"'This is what the dream means, Your Majesty, and
what the Most High has declared will happen to you. You will be driven from human society, and you will
live in the fields with the wild animals.
You will eat grass like a cow, and you
will be drenched with the dew of heaven.
Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the
world and gives them to anyone he chooses.
But the stump and the roots were left in the ground. This means that you
will receive your kingdom back again
when you have learned that heaven rules.
O King Nebuchadnezzar, please listen to me.
Stop sinning and do what is right. Break
from your wicked past by being merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you
will continue to prosper.'
But all these things did happen to King
Nebuchadnezzar. Twelve months later, he
was taking a walk on the flat roof of the royal palace in Babylon. As he looked out across the city, he said, 'Just look at
this great city of Babylon! I, by
my own mighty power, have built this
beautiful city as my
royal residence and as an expression of my
royal splendor.'” (Verses 24-30)
Be merciful to the poor. Think about that for a bit. When we are caught up in our own good press,
we cannot understand the poor and downtrodden. We think they are lazy and will
not work.
But, when we remember that God
rules and that it’s only by the mercy of the Lord that we have what we have and
we accomplish what we accomplish, then we can look with mercy upon the poor and
vulnerable in our midst. So, let’s
remember our humility before the Almighty God.
And let’s extend the mercy that we’ve received to our brothers and
sisters around us.
Doing these things is the formula
for a peace that passes our understanding.
It’s the peace that Christ offers us in John chapter fourteen:
"I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the
peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid.” (Verse 27)
Let’s embrace our humility and
receive the peace that surpasses our understanding. Peace and contentment and justice that can
come only from the Lord.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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