"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matt. 20:25-28)
Where is God glorified? Is it in our stylish appearance on Sunday mornings? Our impressive displays of talent and skill? Our ability to influence others? Maybe sometimes, but most of us know that's not where the God of glory dwells. Despite His majestic splendor, He's much more humble than that. Ours is a God who, during His incarnation, dwelt in a feeding trough at birth and rode a donkey at the height of His popularity. The exalted Lord Jesus has never really appeared "exalted" to our wordly eyes.
Why is that? He could certainly impress us all the time with parted seas and with blazing fires by night. He could clearly fill a temple with His awesome presence. Why did the Everlasting Father clothe Himself as a Suffering Servant?
Because glory is about His character, not about His appearance. And character shows up best when circumstances are worst. It's the same with us. Nobody really judges us by the way we appear at our best; they size us up when we're under a burden. The contrast between light and darkness shows up when we're one and our environment is the other. So it is with God.
Many think the glory of God is reflected in great cathedrals, and perhaps it is. But it is also reflected in the slums of third-world megacities and the mental hospitals of postwar generations. The cathedrals allow observers to praise man's ingenuity; the slums and wards are so dreadful that any evidence of God in them is clear. No one has trouble finding light when all else is dark.
Don't strive for the glory of God by reaching for the heights. Seek it by plunging into the depths. That's what Jesus did, leaving eternal majesties for the corrupt environment of earth, and oh, how God was glorified. That's the direction in which He calls us as well. Go down. Show His love to broken sinners; proclaim His mercy in trash-filled streets; and shine your light in dark ghettoes. Jesus dove deep for us. He calls us to dive deep for Him.
"If Christ were here, He would help them, and so must I." - Toyohiko Kagawa, on his mission to Kobe's slum-dwellers
I like it. A lot.
ReplyDelete