That Pesky Responsibility...Humble Myself

I am thinking about this matter of unconditional surrender, handing over everything that defines my life, submitting to the total control of God in my life...including the parts that I withhold from him.

The guy in the Mark 10 story, verse 17...very impressive. He intentionally sought Jesus. He honored Jesus in his reference to him and in his physical posture before him. He was honest. He obeyed God's commands as he understood them. He was a person of means. And, he received the love of Jesus. Not a bad package.

Then Jesus threw him a serious curve ball. "There's one think you lack." And, he zeroed in on the guy's possessions. "Sell it all, give to the poor, and come follow me." The man walked away troubled, because Jesus touched an area of withholding...his financial capability.

Forget that guy...he's talking to me. A zinger right to the heart of my social security. When I have a sufficient amount of money in my pocket-account-portfolio, my sense of security, self-worth, control, standing, confidence, etc. is high. I'm feeling pretty good about life. I am independent.

But, when my resources are insufficient to meet the demands placed upon them, all that security, self-worth, and confidence are out the window. I have needs that I can't meet. I am dependent...not necessarily humble...just dependent.

So, Jesus looked at a guy who was independent, prescribed action that would cause him to become dependent, and then said, "follow me." I think there is a lot to that last part...follow me.

Lord, am I to understand that following you...being with you...learning from you, somehow becomes the regulator of needs in my life and the resource to meet those needs?

In that case, Jesus, YOU are my sense of security, my self-worth, my control, my standing, my confidence, and my source.

So, this thing about humility has nothing to do with circumstances, economic or otherwise. Humility is my decision to be dependent upon you, regardless of circumstances, each minute, each day, for everything in my life, for the rest of my life.

Right.