Proverbs
16:20, 22 Whoever gives thought to the word will
discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord… Good sense is a
fountain of life to him who has it.
Why do we not delight in one
another very often? People who do not know us very well seem to find more to
appreciate in us. To keep people delighted, we often keep them at arm’s length.
We do not really believe
there is something terrific in us that would arouse delight. If there is, we
believe that the deeper things, which are more true about us, are bad. We have
difficulty believing that forgiven people have caught a glimpse of Christ and
that the Spirit has used that glimpse to create goodness within us, a goodness
that is more defining of who we are than our badness.
Satan has craft a lie called
humanism. Humanism is a philosophy that
teaches we are all essentially good and the badness in us is caused by the
power of bad environments. As a result of believing this lie, people have
difficulty with the idea that we need forgiveness for sin. If we are basically
good what do I need forgiveness for? Why do I need a savior?
Good urges are created in us
when we are forgiven. Good urges will completely rule in us when we see him and
the belief of faith gives way to the excitement of sight. Good urges are
released in us as we get to know him better.
Until someone realizes that
there are no legitimate longings in our souls beyond his power and intention to
satisfy, all change is cosmetic. But as we grasp how tenderly committed he is to
our well-being, we feel more inclined to obey. Good urges become stronger.
God delights in the whole
process. He delights in our status as forgiven children welcomed into his
house. He delights in what we will become as members of His family.
(pgs. 13-14, Connecting:
A Radical New Vision)
