Jesus, Can I Get a Facial?

At the risk of sounding legalistic, I have to preface by saying this – I, me, Lora…. is being convicted of who owns what in my life.

I’m taking Amy Sherman’s class on “Rejoicing the City.” What you see as follows is an attempted summary of what I’ve learned from these classes.

The title of the series comes from Proverbs 11:10:

When the Righteous prosper the city rejoices.

Defining the terms:

The Righteous:

The typical concept of righteousness tends to lean toward moral fortitude. I avoid these sins and therefore I am righteous.

However, the term righteous in this verse (and else where in the Bible) has a more holistic and robust meaning. It is entirely moral, and yet entirely FOR other people. It not only concedes that the law is beautiful and God’s precepts good, but it moves outside of itself to assist other’s in their need (even a need that is “their fault” – for isn’t sin our fault?).

A righteous person loves God’s law and God’s word (goodness), but a righteous person also seeks to disadvantage herself for the advantage and advancement of others (humility).

Prospering:

Bill Gates comes to mind.

But again, the definition of prospering is so narrow and limited to self-comparisons to though far and above the average (like top 1% of America) that we forget to see the reality of power that is given us despite our financial state.

Even more so, in relation to those around the world who have dirt floors and have no idea what a computer is – I am prospering.

The questions that tell me so are these:

-Do I have meat for every meal?
-How many pairs of shoes do I own?
-Do I update my wardrobe (even with parental help which subsidizes me and make more money free for me to spend on other things)?
-Do I have food in my refrigerator that goes bad, and it doesn’t really matter?
-Did I complete high school and finish a college degree?
-Do I have money to travel, to get my nails done, to buy make-up, color my hair, get a facial?
-Do I have a community that supports me?
-Do I have a family that is well-to-do?

If I am honest with myself, in comparison with ONLY ME – I am prospering. And, it might be safe to say that if you are able to read this on your own transportable computer – then so are you.

The CITY

A clue to who the city is can be found in the verse following vs. 10. In Proverbs 11:11, it says this:

Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.

You can see from this, that the city does not appear to be in a place where the care for it is excercised primarily by itself. Instead, it is committed to the hands of those who are in power. So it is easier to say that the city is the people who lack control or power over themselves and their circumstances, but are at the mercy of other’s choices.

REJOICE:

In class, Amy pointed out that it seems odd that one group of people would be rejoicing at another group’s prosperity.

The typical response when someone does better than you is to pout, covet, judge or hurt them in someway. Though Christ does call us to rejoice with those who are rejoicing and mourn with those who are mourning, that call is not natural. We tend to mourn the advancement of others and delight in the devastation of others (at least it’s not me, right?).

BUT, the word for rejoice here is another ROBUST word.

IT can be most likened to winning a battle where you are VERY outnumbered and your odds and dim, the enemy is closing into rape, steal and plunder you – and all the sudden, you are rescued. You narrowly escape harrowing reality of enslavement and death.

The City, those who have no power over their circumstances – are singing, weeping with joy and dancing in the street because they have been victoriously rescued from enslavement, rape and death.

SUMMARY:

It should be clear by now that you and I are prospering.

The question Amy posed to me is whether I/you will also be the righteous.

When those people who disadvantage themselves for the advancement of others have power to help the city, the people without significant power to change their circumstance – are overwhelmed with joy to the point of tears because they have been rescued from devastation.

The Weakest Virtue.

1. Marked by meekness or modesty in behavior, attitude, or spirit; not arrogant or prideful.
2. Showing deferential or submissive respect.
3. Low in rank, quality, or station; unpretentious or lowly.

 

“‘He said, “You know, I’m a professing Christian. And I always said what mattered the most was what Jesus thinks of me. But that’s not how my heart really operated.

My heart operated on two functional principles.

1. That by my competence and by my hard work, I could control what people thought of me.

2. What people thought of me was all that mattered.

That is to say, what really matters is what people think of you. And you can control that by your incredible performance.’” -As quoted by Tim Keller

Secretly (or not so secretly), I am just like this person. When I was not a believer, it manifested itself by exerting my opinion in such a way as to assert my own superior thoughts over a conversation (and I probably still do this). As I have understood more of Christ, the idol of people’s perception has created all sorts of extraordinary looking desires. The idea being that, if I am going to commit myself to being a “christian” I ought to be the best and be known as such. If there is a challenge put forward as to what a “real” Christian would do A, B, C – you can bet that I will attempt to do ALL three letters (and wear myself out doing them).

The battle between the desire to look good, to be perceived “correctly” and to honor God is a fierce one. Most of the time God loses. Most of the time, if I do something idiotic and my heart is exposed as being filled with evil things, I excuse myself with something like “Oh gosh, sorry – so out of character.” or “Augh, I’m hungry or operating on a lack of sleep.” or “It’s that time of the month” or “I had a hard day” or “I had a bad conversation with such and such” or “Para is struggling financially” or “Yeah, that’s my struggle lately, I’m working on disciplining myself” OR I console myself with a recalling of my audience’s dunce behaviors that I’ve seen. So I either justify myself by suggesting that sin is not my M.O. or by comparing myself to others.

How does this manifest itself?

• I hate looking bad. 
• I am disconcerted when I’m over-looked by someone who I’ve deemed as being totally awesome.
• I am very careful about how I act.
• I feel crappy when I haven’t checked off my list of “Godly” activities – ie. quiet time, reading books, prayer, sermons, etc.
• Socially, I gravitate to people who already have enough friends instead of going outside of the city walls and being hospitable to those who are less intriguing and more difficult to befriend – but who probably need/want friends.
• I justify behaviors to other people that they clearly judge as being unchristian. Ie. buying clothes, or spending money on frivolous things.
• I think that by acting a certain way, thinking a certain way, understanding a certain way – I will be acceptable to God, and therefore outside his judgement. 
• I prefer to hang out with people who are just like me – who stroke the ego of my genius
• My self-worth is in question when someone who’s opinion I value treats me in a negative way. OR My self-worth is defined by how other people see me.

I’ve been thinking a lot about humility and God’s say on who I am. 

First part is that Christ humbled HIMSELF.

  HE… decreased his own rank and standing. He chose to be a janitor. He chose to work the low-paying job, to disadvantage himself for the sake of another’s advancement. 

How many times do I, as a caucasian middle class pretty female think to myself – “Augh, I am too good for this job!” or “I HAVE A DEGREE, why am I washing dishes??!” or “Being a housewife is beneath me.” or “I am not ordinary…” “I am not obscure…” “I am someone…” (and therefore deserving of BETTER).

What did Jesus KNOW that kept him from this?

1. That God owns everything.
2. That nothing I have has anything to do with ME earning it. 
3. The final promise for Christ was Glory – all that Satan tempted him with in the desert was promised to him already, and Christ’s vision was cast so far and so great that the momentary did not seem greater than God’s promise.

SECOND PART is WHO I AM in CHRIST:

The Grace God gives is the most humbling of all gifts in two ways  -

1. It is unmerited. That is to say, you cannot work for grace.

2. The fact that it is given, suggests that I DO NOT merit anything. I am owed nothing; in fact, what is given to me is opposite of what I deserve, which is death.

IN Christ, I am covered with Grace. I cannot work for it, and I will NEVER deserve it.

Also, my self-worth is wrapped up in his unconditional love. That is to say – that who I am is finally decided in Christ and it is immovable despite my sins.

This is another way of saying that regardless of whether I don’t hold my tongue and say something stupid (Where words are many sin is not absent – Proverbs)… and even after I say this stupid thing, and everyone in the room thinks “Gosh, she’s a bad Christian. Gosh, she’s an idiot. Gosh, she really needs to work on holding her tongue. Gosh, what a jerk, a fool, a biach.” Even in the face of other’s perception – God has the final say on who I am.

Finally, HUMILITY.

These two things give us strength to take the narrow road of lowering ourselves. (Which no one rightfully wants to do because selflessness is not instinctual or NATURAL).

These two things show us the glory and beauty of taking out the trash, of associating with people in real need who smell or say crass things or have no social perimeters.  Or of doing the thankless job of motherhood, tutoring kids, doing things that have NOTHING to do with ADVANCING you – but only serve someone else’s needs. Doing things, that in fact, make you uncomfortable.

WHY? Because Jesus HUMBLED himself.

Because Jesus went before us, we can follow.