"God's Gaze"

"Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud." (Psalms 94:2)
Just in case you thought I was wrong, it turns out that humility is actually a real commodity in God's economy. If you are looking for a way to score points, then humility is going to be a trait you will need to develop; if you don't, then prepare to be humiliated. That's what I see happening here; not that it's not already evident within the text. However, when we take what is being said and apply it to the lesson being learned, there is something about our being a child that makes being humble so much more interesting. I'm not talking about blind faith, not really; God is never blind to what is going on; we on the other hand might be, but that's what makes it so fun, almost laughable. It's like, I can't wait to see what God's going to do next! What's He going to do with this trail? How's He going to work this one out towards the good? The blind part in all of that, is that sometimes we don't get to see the result of what God is doing, we can only trust He has it all worked out. In chapter 14 of Luke's Gospel, Jesus gives a teaching on humility; there are about five different areas that He deals with, but they all point to the same basic idea, having a servant's heart. The first one takes on the idea of putting life over tradition, as Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath day. It might not appear to be a teaching on humility, but it surely is the act that sparks the conversation. The basic point is that of putting the needs of others above your own, even if that might involve some kind of prosecution or inconvenience to our own lives or traditions. The second was that of not lifting yourself up, but choosing the lower seat that others might offer you a higher one. In God's economy, that means to not think of yourself as having something above anyone else, especially when it comes to spiritual values. Only God truly knows what's in a man's heart; and just because someone might remain silent does not mean that they don't know the answer; and just because a man does not shut up, does not mean that he has all the answers. It works the same for the seating at the wedding banquet, in that the one who either wants all the attention or thinks he deserves it, it that guy who takes the chief seat. The third was the parable of the Great Banquet, the one where a certain man made a great supper, but all those that he invited all made excuses why they could not show up. It does not take a whole lot of digging to see the lack of humility in that; as if whatever I have planned is for more important that what you have to offer. Matthew's Gospel bumps that parable up a notch, including the part about the "Wedding Garment." The way I have come to understand, the wedding garments were made available at the door for all the guest who entered, but the king saw someone within the banquet who did not have a wedding garment on; apparently, he did not feel as though he needed one, like maybe what he was wearing was good enough. The fourth one is about loving Jesus more than yourself. Not quite sure that I need to explain that, except to say that this where Jesus talks about "Counting the Cost." The fifth one is one that comes with a bite; it's short and sweet, but it packs a powerful punch...
""So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own. "Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand."" (Luke 14:33-35) NLT