If all our troubles could be summed up in one thing it would be this.

Be Not Proud

Often when you look at what God does His behavior seems somehow inconsistent. This comes from not understanding what drives God's behavior. We think that because He is all loving that He does not demand justice, so we think it "unfair" when suffering or death come to those whom we perceive as innocent. Yet they are never innocent, for none of us is good. So then you might think God should wipe us all out because we all have this seed of evil. Or we wonder why God didn't just prevent Adam from falling. Somehow we get this misplaced notion that since God is perfect and Adam was created perfect that Adam could do nothing to "spoil" that perfection. OR that God should not have allowed Adam to ruin it. Either thought would mean that man could not be made in the image of the "Creator" as "free will" IS an ingredient of creativity. So why does God oppose some and help others? That is really the question that needs asked. Why does God elect Israel and not Egypt? Why does God strike the Amalekites and not the Hebrews? The behavior of Jesus gives us the answer. Many in the world think Jesus was always this "nice guy" that walked around preaching love everybody. What they don't understand is love isn't always nice. The Pharisees were the religious rulers whom should have welcomed Jesus. If anyone agreed more in principle with Jesus it was these folks. Yet time after time we see Jesus in opposition to the Pharisees. We also see where Jesus makes a whip out of chords, turns over tables, and chases all the money changers out of the temple. I wouldn't call that nice. Then there are two fellows who ask Jesus some questions and we see some peculiar behavior out of Jesus. Nicodemus and the Rich Young Ruler. Both came to Jesus with questions. And the answers Jesus gave, some might think they were hard, evasive, unkind, even insulting. In fact they could easily be taken for insulting, as where some of the things Jesus spoke against the Pharisees. I wouldn't call that nice. Then we see the woman caught in adultery. If anybody deserved the Lord's wrath it was this woman, caught in the act. Or the prostitute who cried at His feet. Or any number of folks Jesus helped. So what is the deal here? We see this Pharisees who keep the law being confronted by Jesus and these lawbreakers being comforted. What drives God's behavior? How does He decide? Well, first recall these things. God knows a man's heart and He judges by the heart not just the behavior. And because we are inherently bad due to Adam's sin God is justified in whatever He does. Yet God does show favor based upon something, the question is what is that something?

{18:9} And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: {18:10} Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. {18:11} The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. {18:12} I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. {18:13} And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. {18:14} I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Luke 18:9-14

Which man was justified?

The humble man, the one who knew he was not worthy and asked for mercy. The Pharisee prayed about himself. In the Pharisee's mind it was about me, in the tax collectors mind it was about God. God reacts to the way a man thinks in his heart because God knows that is the way a man really is. God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. When we look at the way Jesus treats people He is amazingly consistent. The pride of the Pharisees drew opposition from Christ. Nicodemus had to have the pride let out of him, Jesus gave him hard answers and then said, "you are Israel's teacher and you do not know this?" A little humble pie won Nicodemus' heart as we see that Nicodemus does become a disciple of Christ. And the Rich Young Ruler. This lad was proud of having surpassed his peers, and was even more proud that he thought he gave Jesus "the answer". Remember he asked, what should I do to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him to obey the Law and the Prophets. I can see this fellow now, chest puffed swelling with pride and answering, "this I've done since a youth". Jesus let's the hot air out of this guy quick by telling him, "good, one thing you still lack. Sell all that you have, give it to the poor and follow me." The Rich Young Ruler couldn't do it, his pride wouldn't let him and he went away very depressed (with the air let out). And those whom Jesus helped. Look at them, everyone of them was in humility. Not a proud soul in the lot. I can just imagine the embarrassment of the woman caught in adultery. The Law said she should be stoned and she knew it. She was caught in the act and had "no defense". Jesus saves her, "let he who is without sin cast the first stone". Only Jesus could have, and He didn't because she was humble. Have you ever thought about what He's have done if she'd been proud? God opposes the proud, and the one without sin was standing there. We even see this behavior towards the disciples. Peter gives a humble answer and Jesus blesses him. Peter gets a little bit proud and Jesus rebuke's him. The world (and even many Christians) have this misconception that Jesus was a "nice guy". To those who are humble He is. But to the proud he isn't! We try to justify ourselves. We defend ourselves saying; it's not my fault, someone or something else is to blame, I'm better than that guy, I'm a good person....blah, blah, blah. Before God there is no defense. We're evil and know it. We can not justify ourselves. But when we approach God in humidly He responds in mercy and does not treat us as we deserve. Even more, He gives grace and grants us what we are not worthy of. He justifies us because we have become right in our hearts towards Him! God is amazingly consistent and the message here is incredibly simple.

Be not proud!