To walk humbly with your God...

T

here is naturally in every man a desire to know, but what profiteth knowledge without the fear of God? Better of a surety is a lowly peasant who serveth God, than a proud philosopher who watcheth the stars and neglecteth the knowledge of himself. He who knoweth himself well is vile in his own sight; neither regardeth he the praises of men. If I knew all the things that are in the world, and were not in charity, what should it help me before God, who is to judge me according to my deeds?

The Imitation of Christ, Thomas a Kempis

The new year has begun and some of the lessons from the past year must now be put into place and lived out in my life. This is the hard part—putting into practice the things I have already recognized and accepted as lessons from God.

King Julian

It’s nothing personal;
we’re just better than you.

I like to have things my way. I like to be recognized as the man in charge. I like to be able to direct the world from my armchair. But it doesn’t tend to work that way. So this year I am resolved to see myself through God’s eyes—neither as better than others, because of my accomplishments or an inflated ego; nor as less than others due to a negative self-image or their self-proclaimed greatness. We are all made in the image of God and we have all fallen due to sin. We are all in need of a Savior and any benefit I have received from the Savior, Jesus Christ, is due to God’s eternal plan and not my feeble attempts at holiness.

The River’s deep; the River’s wide; the River’s water is alive. So sink or swim, I’m diving in!