"We do not want you to
become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what
has been promised." Hebrews 6:12 (NIV)
I
am rereading a book that a friend and I wrote more than 15 years ago on pride
and humility. I am often being convicted by my own words (and his). I just read there how
pride and humility respond so differently to correction or admonishment. And
then I look at this statement: “We don’t want you to become lazy…” And I ask,
how did “the Hebrews” respond to this? How do we respond to it?
The
Greek word has a bit of tough sound – nóthros. It can mean: dull, sluggish, slothful,
lazy, inert, listless, or lackadaisical. So try to hear this: “We don’t want
you to become listless and slothful.” Think of it being said to you by someone
who knows you (because this writer
did know them.) How do you respond?
“Why would you say that to me?”
“What kind of person do you think I am?”
“That hurts my feelings.”
The writer was sending these words to people
who were bright and talented and by this time ought to be developing into
teachers (5:12). But, all the more reason they could have been prideful and
defensive. We don’t know how they
responded. We are challenged to know even what city they were in, let alone
what was the outcome of this letter.
But this much we can be sure of: If they did
respond with pride and dug in there, they never came out of the spiritual doldrums;
they didn’t continue in faith and in patience and; after a great start, they
sadly never inherited what was promised.
Whatever, they did, it is done. But thank God, we have the opportunity to hear the Word, be humble and receive grace.
Thank you for sharing. Its true in our human nature we have a tendency to respond pridefully. I was just talking about this very subject with my husband last night. We were talking about the difficultly in taking advice and guidance from someone God has charged to advise and guide us. I think the problem lies in not seeing it comes from God. That is Gods plan for the church. That we help each other. Easy to say, but difficult to do.
ReplyDeleteI see in my life how much I need to focus on increasing my faith in Jesus. Without it, I know I am not up to the task, and pride is my default. But when I believe Jesus, I have the courage to continue to try again, no matter the failures and hurts that have come before.
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