Monthly Archives: May 2025

discipleship, Finding Answers to Stuff Churches Don't Discuss, Uncategorized

Humility … Jesus-style!

1 Comment

The gentle will be blessed with inheriting the earth; the merciful receive mercy; the peacemaker is called a son of God (Matthew 5:5-9). These states of being require humility—lowering one’s self-importance to a place where they disappear and the ultimate good of others and obedience to God become dominant. This is desirable because God loves the humble and opposes the proud (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). Our cancerous self-centeredness and citizenship in the ‘most individualistic nation in the world’ make humility nearly impossible, and we don’t see the behavior modeled often. So, I thought I’d help. After all, who wants to be opposed by God?!? What is humility? What isn’t?

False humility. To respond after condemnation with, “I mess up too …” without stating any sins (certainly not the BIG ones!) is one example. It can come as “humble bragging” or self-righteous prayers. Sometimes, false humility downplays abilities in the shadow of an underlying superior attitude. Humility is, and does, none of these prideful things, though!

Humble is as humble does. Solomon, purportedly the wisest human ever, wrote in Proverbs 11:2, “When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with the humble is wisdom.” So, wisdom and humility can go hand in hand. The humble walk by God’s Spirit and are gentle, self-controlled, and kind in their childlike unconditional love and lack of self-inflation. Their reward? They will be exalted and elevated to significant positions in God’s Kingdom (Matthew 18:4; Luke 18:14).

And this is what humble does. The humble turn the other cheek and understand that just because something could be said doesn’t mean it should. They don’t brag, and their concern, prayers, and humility are sincere. Here are a few biblical examples of humility:

  • Jesus, although fretting about the incredible pain and suffering about to take place, and after asking God to take it from Him, obediently accepted His fate (Luke 22:42).
  • Jesus “humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8-9). His reward? Exaltation and promotion!
  • “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12).
  • We place the well-being and ultimate good of others above our own: “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3).
  • We patiently bear with others in the pursuit of peace, “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2).
  • Finally, the prophet Micah teaches us that God requires us to “do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with Him” (Micah 6:8).

Summary. God loves the humble and peacemaker while opposing the proud, arrogant, fake, violent, or unloving. Which are you? Next time, we’ll step out in faith. Meanwhile, love justice and mercy, and walk humbly with God authentically.

God’s blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley, MDiv, DMin.

discipleship, Finding Answers to Stuff Churches Don't Discuss, Uncategorized

No Excuses!

1 Comment

Billions of people worldwide believe in a single God, an intelligent being who created everything and will one day reclaim His stuff after tolerating human self-centered, pleasure-seeking nonsense long enough. However, billions more don’t share the belief.

Some (atheists or nontheists) adamantly oppose the idea, believing themselves to be masters of their universe. Others (agnostics) have no idea one way or the other. Still others (pantheists) believe that the universe, with its gas, rocks, and unknowns, is synonymous with ‘god.’ Pagans often worship nature as a god. A core tenet of alternatives to a single Creator can be the belief that everything came from a rock billions of years ago, as if anything’s possible given enough time … Nonetheless, we who believe in a unique Creator and Master of everything have absolute reasons for this stance. This article will focus on two: the uncaused first cause and nature.

The Uncaused First Cause. Everything and natural laws have been caused, spawned, or created by something. Nothing happens out of nothing; anything with a beginning is brought about because of an initial uncreated cause. A painting is made by a creator infinitely greater than the painting. Its paint is born of pigments and human intervention. The pigments come from something other than themselves. You get the idea: work backward, and you’ll soon understand that the first thing created was caused by something that couldn’t have been created.

In short, this ‘causal’ argument states, “behind everything there is either an infinite and eternal chain of greater and greater causes, or there is ultimately a first great cause.  And the first great cause must itself be infinite and eternally uncaused.” Even the ‘small hot spot’ some claim contained all the universe’s stuff and blew up in the ‘big bang’ couldn’t create itself! But the wisdom of ‘uncaused first cause’ isn’t the only witness to the Creator—God: so is nature.

Nature. Look up: “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” (Psalm 19:1) Now, look around: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20).

Consider the human brain, the most complicated biological system with its intricacies and neural interdependencies. Think about animals, insects, and plants—some with symbiotic relationships, which require precise order and timing in creation. And what about the laws of nature that govern it? Without them and their uncaused first cause, nothing else works.

Summary. Were you created, and are you managed, by an intelligent designer? Or are gas, rocks, and other stuff your ancestor and god? Let me know if you’d like help deciding. What’s next?  Let’s find out what it means to be humble, Jesus-style! In the meantime, quit making excuses for not acknowledging the Creator and aligning with Him.

God’s blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley, MDiv, DMin.