Father, sometimes it’s hard to sit and think about what to write. Though not nearly as awful as many times in history, the times in which we live are nonetheless wearying. Divided peoples – even families, evil runs amuck in our world. Good is bad, bad is good. I would pray that it would not be debilitating…that we would remain strong, not in our own strength, but in Yours alone! Amen.
John 3:1-2 (<<click here to read the passage)
Maybe you’ve never thought of it before but a major ingredient in learning is humility. In order to learn we have to realize that we don’t already know everything. Many of us have come across people in our lives who, no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t teach them. They’d jump ahead of everything you put forth, either claiming existing knowledge of it or arrogantly proclaiming they knew a better way to do it.
In a short chat the other morning, a gentleman I met spoke of men who helped him lay tile. (Local farmers quite often will place tile – plastic drainage tubes – below wet lying fields to drain off excess water. Heavy rains will create temporary ponds often killing developing plants.) There is machinery involved, and this gentleman is a local pro.
He stated that when he gets new labor, he starts them off with a shovel. Many aren’t too thrilled to begin their time that way but soon realize that as he breaks them in on how everything works, that was the best place to start. The novices bend their wills to the master.
Nicodemus was a pro in his field (pun intended!) He was a Pharisee and such a high-ranking one that he was a member of the Sanhedrin. But, unlike many of the other Jewish religious leaders, he was smart enough to know when someone outranked even him.
I love the way the Amplified Bible puts it. Nicodemus begins his conversation with Jesus by saying.
“Rabbi (Teacher), we know [without any doubt] that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs [these wonders, these attesting miracles] that You do unless God is with him.” (emphasis mine)
He realized he didn’t know it all and even though it was difficult to understand, he didn’t outright reject what Jesus had to say. In fact, by the time Jesus’ trial came around, Nicodemus so firmly believed in Him that he actually stood up for Him. (John 7:50-51)
We have this awful tendency to stick to our guns when it comes to learning. I know what I know and you’re not going to change my mind! But, especially when it comes to growing in our walk with Jesus, His knowledge far surpasses ours. May we humbly bow at his feet and learn from the Master!
Mar 30th, 2021, Tues, 6:48 pm
