The Humiliation of the Christian Life

I did not write this... a Pastor Friend of mine did. It's pretty good:

Matt 18 might be the most significant scripture chapter in the whole bible.

It pretty much has all the main stuff - and is probably the least understood of any chapter I know.

In Matt. 18 it talks about becoming small - that unless we become small, like a child,
then by no means can we enter the kingdom of heaven.

It actually is talking about being humiliated, which as a man is our greatest fear.

It goes on to say that scandalizations will follow - and that we should forgive these,
not just 7 times, but 70 x 7 times.

We talk a lot about being broken from our sin, but this isn't really what Matt. 18 is speaking of, for being broken by our sin ends up highlighting our sin and crucifying Christ over and over again while we confess to the world that we really aren't that serious about doing what he says. In this case - the world wins rather than is overcome.

Matthew however is speaking of being broken because we dared to stand up against the world. Being broken because we remained true rather than because we were false.

I would offer that there is a huge difference here - like between night and day, heaven and hell, slavery and freedom, Christ and the world.

This has everything to do with submission - and the game is to have us, as men, who are purposed to be the representation of God's image, and holders of God's hope - ultimately submit to the world - so that God's hope is ultimately dashed or diminished by our fear while the world wins, and Christ looses.

Humiliation is the principle tool the evil one uses for this - it has been throughout history, it was with Christ, and it will be with us as men when God has made us ready.

It is the means always used to get the man to cave - Peter had to see his wife humiliated and killed the day before he was - which was the ultimate shame he could be given in every way.

Humiliation is what we as guys do our best to avoid - and it is what we are most likely to yield to, get confused by and submit to in the end, especially if it concerns our personal life, our finances or our purpose. For we are really proud - and driven by our own sense of self-worth.

But I would like to suggest that it is precisely in the face of humiliation that God purposes for his substance in us to be tried and tested, and that it is here that we have the greatest possibility in life of knowing Christ - and the power of his resurrection - because of sharing in knowing what it means to suffer and die - so we can live no longer afraid.

At any time we can escape humiliation by copping a plea - false humility that allow others, especially those who might trying to knock us down, to feel at ease with us because we have succumbed to their use of force, but nothing is gained by this - except delay.

In humiliation we feel alone, isolated and confused - but it is here that we share the cold stone prison floor with Jesus of knowing what it means to be abandoned and tossed aside as we wait to be destroyed.

It is here that we learn really who Christ is - for we really can't know him in any other place.

It is here that we learn about the key that unlocks the door - and sets us free.

I just wanted to write to you - to encourage you that when the day comes for you to be tested, that you would be encouraged to embrace humiliation as the friend of Jesus - and means by which we are saved, for we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven except that we are willing to become - small.

And so that you might greet humiliation as a friend and be encouraged to share its pain, and in humility, allow it to liberate you and set you free from all that might seek to entangle you or draw you into despair.