I’m A Nobody

I'm not a theologian. Nor am I a seminary graduate with in-depth training on scripture, God or religion; no certificates, degrees, or any time in the pulpit. You wouldn't recognize my name as an authority or find much on Google. I'm really just a nobody.

Why did Jesus use a despised tax collector by the name of Matthew to serve as a disciple to spread the good news of His coming? Why would He send the prophet Samuel to approach a commonplace Jewish family and choose David, only a boy, rather than any of his older brothers to rule the Lord's kingdom? God singled out Moses, a reluctant orphan to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and chose Peter, who became the foundation of the Christian church. He was an ordinary fisherman. So if these men were given opportunities with their muddled resumes, it stands to reason God wouldn't mind if I wrote a book about Him.

No one has faced more stress and nerve-racking anxiety than the apostle Paul. Shipwrecks, imprisonment, persecution, suffering, and his eventual crucifixion are examples. This man of God experienced every threat and consequence imaginable. If we were to ask someone’s advice on how to handle worry, Paul should be our go-to for advice...Paul didn’t have the luxury of Google or the scientific knowledge we’ve learned over the centuries. However, Paul did know that worry impacts our heart and mind. In only two succinct sentences he gives us the prescription for curing worry and anxiety.

Of all the sinful natures, pride is the worst. Pride shows itself in many forms. Anything we do wrong while living on this spinning planet can usually be traced to some variation of spiritual pride. Such habits as arrogance, insensitivity, defensiveness, envy, self-absorption, overvaluing possessions, lack of forgiveness, and stubbornness are limbs of the tree that sprouts from the root of pride.

Individuals can generally be classified into certain personality profiles. After thoroughly cross-examining comments from psychologists and corporate training websites, added to my years of personal experience, I was able to piece together clusters of personalities classes. We all probably exhibit some of these traits, but obviously some show more than others. After each description, there’s a simple approach to understanding each person’s mannerisms and how best to behave in a Christian manner.

Doing something outside our spheres of safety is counterintuitive because we’re naturally inclined to seek comfort or safety; it’s our very nature. The mortal inclination is to be self-reliant and take shelter in our comfortable environment.

As we can see from the bell curve, when we expand our efforts, the stress level increases, and our performances are optimized. Conversely, if we don’t push ourselves from the comfort zone, we remain weak, and arousal is low.

We shouldn’t overlook subtle signs that may float undetected under the radar. God can answer prayers in an inconspicuous or unconventional way, many times unexpectedly. Listen closely. Let’s have our sonar tuned in to be receptive to any messages being received, even if ever so faint. It’s the small voice that prompts us in our spirit. God wants to know we’re listening.

As the conscience and the Holy Spirit come into alignment, our communication with God is enhanced, and the audible floodgates will open wide. Our conscience will be more proactive when presented with questionable options that don’t parallel our faith, and it will point us in the right direction. We should affiliate our consciences with the truth. Walk side by side with the Holy Spirit, and watch all three bars on our spiritual phone light up.

Now that we have a somewhat nebulous image of heaven, clear only in the expanse of our imaginations, it leaves us with this question: How does one get to heaven? Similar to understanding heaven itself, no one knows exactly how we gain admittance to the Promised Land. There’s some obvious assumptions about who won’t get into heaven, but what are the chances of making it to paradise?

For those who don’t believe in God, it’s hard to comprehend the rationale for the risk they’re facing. The nonbeliever is wagering there is no God or heaven. They’re staking virtually everything on this being true. It goes beyond betting money, investments, a home, or even their lives. They’re gambling eternal existence.

Once upon a time, Almighty God was going about His day creating solar systems, galaxies, and tidying up the universe. The work was piling up, and He couldn’t address everything that needed His attention. He considered working more hours or picking up the pace to accomplish more but decided neither was an attractive option. There was so much to do. Finally, God decided that He needed to whittle down His to-do list and start practicing delegation skills.

Angels could be the forerunners of safety and protection, or they could be destroyers bringing doom to the wicked. They served as God’s message carriers, His liberators, His executioners, and defenders of His subjects. These heavenly creatures were forerunners of God and always seemed to be at the right place at the right time.

This is going to be painful and difficult to digest. Take a seat, let’s put on a crash helmet, and buckle the safety belt. Strap in and brace for impact. Most of us don’t think we have any idols. As we’ll find out, there are many; some we may not have considered idols.

It would behoove us all to make stronger efforts to bridge the gap between races and avoid being conspicuous and exaggerated. Take every opportunity to speak to, communicate with, and relate to someone who is not of the same race. Show love; hold out the hand of peace. Let’s get rid of racism.