From the Inside Out

Matthew 18:4, “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

“Whoever then humbles himself…”

Have you ever meditated on these words of Jesus? Where is humility? Is it in the spirit, the soul, or the body? Who is responsible for creating humility in us? Is the scripture saying that we ourselves must search, and strive for humility?

Why do we as Christiandom at large continue to rely on, put faith in, and promote the external? Why do we as human kind believe there is some will power, God power, or exterior help that can change our behavior so that the outside is clean enough to come into relationship with God? Or as my friend George pointed out to me the other day, "When has philosophy or theology ever solved evil?"

“Whoever then humbles himself…” whoever digs deep in the recesses of the soul and acknowledges the truth. The truth that we all fail dramatically in comparison to Christ… he is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Christianity is an inside out, not an outside in kingdom. Christianity is not a top down organization. It is a Christ in everything, not above everything. Jesus said, “I am the vine.” All that is in His kingdom is connected to Him.

The kingdom is a seed sown Jesus tells us. We are the ground in which it is sown, therefore where is the kingdom and where does it grow? Inside of us.

“The kingdom suffers violence,” Jesus said. Where is that war, where is the violence? It is inside of us.

The kingdom is like a mustard seed, it is like leaven… all growing inside the soil or the flour which is us.

The kingdom is like a merchant, a dragnet, a man casting seed… it finds us. God is responsible. Our responsibility is to look within. To look deep within and find that place in the soul that has come into relationship with Christ and to explore, enjoy, develop that relationship.

The kingdom is not the vineyard, it is not the work of harvesting the vineyard. It is not the worker, the work day, or the wage. The kingdom is the owner of the vineyard. The work and reward come after the relationship to the owner. 

Do you see?

The still small voice of God is inside you. The work is inside you. The change that needs to happen is inside you. Christ is inside you. Turn inward. Stare at your heart and see the truth of who you are. It is humbling when you admit it. It is more humbling when you live it.

I do not have it right. You do not have it right. Only Christ has it right, and you will only see that perfection in relationship. Then, God willing, after the relationship grows to a daily, even constant awareness you may somehow live a portion of it.