Redefining Success By Becoming…

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…humble as a child!!

Each January I ask the Lord for a new spiritual focus for the year. I pray the theme will permeate my life as the months go by. Here are prior themes… A Slave of Christ (2013), Better to Give Than to Get (2014), Keep in Step with the Spirit (2015), Listen and Love (2016), Join the Dance Procession (2017), Make Disciples (2018), Looking Up (2019), Blessed to Bless (2020), Practicing the Presence (2021), Talking with Jesus Like He’s Here Because...He Is (2022), Listening to Jesus Like He's Here Because...He is (2023).  The themes of the last three years have led to transformation through experiencing the presence of Jesus in new ways.

Here is my 2024 theme and the story behind it…
In January I spent time meditating on portions of the Gospel of Matthew. The values of the kingdom are on display throughout the gospel. Matthew 18:1–6 landed deep in my spirit.
 
“In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "who then, is greatest in the kingdom of the heavens?" He called to himself a child and placed him in their midst and said, ‘Truly I say to you, if you do not turn your back and become as children, you won't enter into the kingdom of the heavens. Therefore whoever will lower himself as this child, this one is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name, welcomes me. But whoever scandalizes one of these little ones who believes in me, it is better for them to have a millstone of a donkey hung around their neck and be sunk into the depth of the sea.” (my translation)
 
This teaching is about how we define success. We should not lurching for position, possession or power, but be content as a child in the presence of their parents. Children don't worry if they will have food and clothing in the morning. They know their parents will provide.

To become like a child, I must turn my back on my expectation for status and be as content as a child. I must lower myself intentionallyata-offset-key="19ohf-2-0"> and accept the status the father has granted me. This is true greatness in the kingdom. A child is content in any circumstance as long as she is assured of her parent's love and protection. A child has implicit trust. A child has a vivid imagination (here is a profound insight on a child’s faith and imagination).

So my 2024 theme is “redefining success by becoming humble as a child."

The second portion of this text is about God's care for the least of these. We must be careful not to look over or through those who are easy to miss. We should name and know and see and love each person we encounter. When we do this, we welcome JESUS. Conversely, when we ignore or harm the least of these, we risk God's punishment.

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ADDENDUM

After spending four days last week in Washington, D.C. for the International Relgious Freedom Summit (overlapping with the National Prayer Breakfast), I was struck by my awareness of the power dynamics. If there were a "power dynamic" heat map of the planet, the brightest spot would be D.C. I could feel the tectonic plates vibrating under my feet knowing that decisions made here reverberate to the ends of the earth. After sitting in sessions dealing with religious persecution, the painful pattern of one group seeking to dominate another is played out on a large scale in places like Armenia, Nigeria, the Middle East, China (Uyghers) and so on.

While in D.C., I meditated on James 1. He has a lot to say about how believers are to endure trials. He then transitions to the topic of temptation. It is clear that temptation comes not from above, but from below or within. Perhaps the greatest temptation is to attempt to dominate someone else. When we fall to this tempation, the greatest of evils is possible. So we must remain as children, content in our father's love, and not striving for control over others.

Final Note: When we vote to choose leaders, we must be careful to choose ones that can handle power with humility.

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