TRANSPARENCY

I Was Just Thing About - - -

If you were asked to prepare a biographical narrative about yourself, what would you write and what would you include? If you were going to be totally transparent, what self-analysis – both positive and negative - would you be willing to share? If you could see yourself as others see you, would you be willing to peal away the veneer in order for the real you to emerge, to be seen and to be understood? For most, this would be a painful experience and excursion. For others, the egotistical and subscriber to the power of positive thinking, it would be a moment for exuberance to let others know all about “I” and that which “I” have done and am doing!

Peggy Noonan wrote a column following the Iowa Caucus where she shares about the action and reaction of one of the self-indulgent candidates who suddenly had to face the reality of being a loser rather than being the winner he had boasted about since his foray into politics. She writes: “(The Candidate) was dinged by Iowa, but not by losing—loss happens. He dinged himself, perhaps significantly, with his subsequent reaction. He was robbed, we need a recount, he may sue. In politics—in life—you have to know how to lose. The presidency itself involves losing—the bill fails, the talks stall, your numbers plummet. You have to be supple, have some give. All political careers end in failure—you never get all you want and in the end you slink away or get thrown out. How to respond? You don’t whine, you don’t complain, you don’t act like a little rhymes-with-witch. You take it full in the face and keep walking. Anyone can win with style. A real champ knows how to lose.” Can a person who thinks more highly of himself than he ought to think and who seeks to intimidate, belittle and marginalize any or all of his challengers face the reality check that not everyone agrees with his self-image, vision of grandeur or personal greatness?

In the area of spiritual dimension, there are numerous illustrations where people allowed themselves to put limitations upon themselves. It was done to avoid the great challenges and issues of the day. They saw the world only humanly and ignored the spiritual enablement available to them. An illustration of this is recorded in Numbers 13 and 14. Moses has led the people from Egypt to Kadesh-Barnea, the threshold into The Promised Land. Before they proceed any further, the Lord has directed that Moses select a chief individual from each of the twelve tribes and have them spy out the land and bring back a report. They are selected and given an assignment (Numbers 13:17-20): “ “Go up into the Negev and go up into the hill country, and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds, and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land.”

After forty days, the spies return with their report (Numbers 13:23-33). Ten of the spies report that the land is fruitful but the people there were great and they would not be able to conquer them and possess the land. When the people hear this report, they become upset with Moses and Aaron for leading them to a place of disaster. In the midst of the turmoil, two of the spies give an alternative view. The contrasting views are summarized in Numbers 13:30-33, “But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” The ten others said:  “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are…(it) is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height.” How did the ten spies view themselves?  Verse 33, they express: “We seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” How do you view yourself before Jesus Christ who said (Matthew 28:18): "All authority (power) is given to me – Go!"? How do you acknowledge the Lord God in your life who has assured you (II Corinthians 12:9): “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”? Are you content with embracing a grasshopper status for yourself? Or, would you rather be identified with the confidence of Caleb (and the three friends in Daniel 3:17): “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us…and he will deliver us …”? Will you dare to break away from the grasshopper crowd (the majority) to confidently be part with those who courageously serve the Lord (the minority)?  Consider these things with me!