God Doesn't Strut

It is true. Those who know the most, advertise it the least. We are correct to be suspicious of those who promote themselves.

If any person has a right to strut, God does... but He does not. He does not strut because He has nothing to prove. He does not strut because strutting is intended to impress. God is impressive in every aspect of His Person, but He never tries to be impressive.

You have noticed (as I have) that strutting is generally disliked very much! Few of us consider it a positive. Self confidence, yes. A PMA (positive mental attitude), yes. Optimism, yes. Leadership, yes. Success and winning and victory and overcoming, yes. But generally, most of us disdain and reject strutting.

It comes as a surprise to most of our minds that God is characteristically an humble Being, for pride is of satanic origin. Satan's heart was "lifted up with pride" when he sought to be like the Most High (see Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28) and failed in his effort to displace God.

The biggest proof of God's intrinsic humility is in His perfection. A perfect Being needs nothing, cannot evolve, appreciate, develop, mature, age or improve. And yet! He created other beings! Not for Himself, for He needed nothing or no one, but He created other beings to know Him, and have a personal, everlasting relationship with Him.

And the method He used to tell the human family about His great plan of the ages farther proves His humility. He made the connection between Himself and us humans by allowing His divine Son to become one of us, and eventually become the sin sacrifice for us after Satan has plunged us all into helpless lostness.

The Bible explains it all in incredible terms found in Philippians 2:6-11, and I quote from Nestle's Greek New Testament:

"Christ Jesus, Who subsisting in the form of God, deemed it not robbery to be equal with God,
"But emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming in likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man,
"He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, and the death of a cross.
"Wherefore God highly exalted Him, and gave to Him the name above every name,
"In order that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of heavenly beings, and earthly beings, and beings under the earth,
"And every tongue should acknowledge that the Lord Jesus Christ is to the glory of God the Father."

The only appropriate response here is to bow and weep before Him in humility, gratitude and submission for doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.

AMAZED!
by W.L. Boone
I am amazed! That God would think of me
When robed in heavenly glory.
That One who wore eternity
Would start the human story.

I am amazed! That he would plan
Beings such as we--
Endowing minds and wills that can
Decide our destiny.

I am amazed! That He would move our way,
Reserving a special place
Within His great and gracious heart--
Room for the human race.

I am amazed! That He who saw it all
And knew the deepest cost;
Looked far beyond our miserable fall
Agreeing to save the lost.

I am amazed! At these great Three
Who sees end from end;
Would effect a plan so perfectly
Designed to be man's friend.

I am amazed! That He would care
Enough to invite the pain --
Long before He started there,
Knew would pierce His heart again.

I am amazed! That He could see
It clearly at the start;
Knowing it would surely be
The blade aimed at His heart.

What kind of God is this
Who suffers in man's place?
What hope? What help? What love? What bliss?
IT'S CALLED AMAZING GRACE!

Copyright by W.L. Boone.