Looking Out for Numero Uno

It’s amazing how exciting the Bible gets once you believe it’s true! I don’t just want to read it; I want to know every single word God said because there’s something in it for me—like the autographs in a yearbook—not only for eternity, but today! Right here! Right now! Hallelujah!
People aren’t programmed to think that way, however—well, we are, but we try to override our natural inclinations with forced propriety. From kindergarten on, children are indoctrinated in the Chip and Dale Method of social interaction (the genteel Disney characters; not the all-male review. . .) we learn manners—not to take the last cookie or the biggest helping of cake. Enough slices of pizza to feed a third world nation are tossed out with the box because no one is willing to snatch that last piece!
In theory, etiquette sounds lovely, but how can the believer be sure that it’s not just the world talking? Satan boasts to Jesus’ face that the earth has been handed over to him,[1] and the Master doesn’t appear to challenge this blatant claim.[2]
The Emptier’s been known to distort even the noblest of intentions and stink up every one of God’s best gifts for us. He reduced the blissful intimacy of marital sex to a glossary of dirty words. He befouled the integrity of authority, causing men to abuse their roles and women to resent theirs. Even Chip and Dale weren’t spared, for Pete’s sake!
The legacy of the late Kenneth E. Hagin bears much posthumous slack for what is irreverently referred to as the “name it-claim it, blab it-grab it” doctrine. With all due respect, I don’t one hundred percent agree with Hagin either, but I think his core message may have been lost in the translation. The counterfeits jumping on the prosperity bandwagon frankly give faith ministry a bad name.
When asked for the greatest commandment, Jesus answered, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:29-31)
The scribe didn’t specifically ask the Master for the second greatest commandment—Jesus merely volunteered that information. In the end, I suppose it’s a matter of interpretation, but as I see it, the charge presupposes that we nurture some level of self appreciation upon which to gauge our love for our fellow man. That’s not giving the last cookie away—that’s splitting it and sharing it between the two.[3] Amen?
Having said all that let me caution you not to swing wide to the other side. As Mr. Miyagi tells Daniel-san in the beloved 80’s classic movie, Karate Kid, “Balance is key!”
Fact: “We are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64:6)
BUT . . .
“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10)
It’s not us so much, as who we are in Christ. Without Him, we’re a stack of dry bones. In Him, we have the breath of life . . . [4] Righteousness by association, to be sure, but righteousness, none the less. Amen, and amen.
[1] Luke 4:6, New King James Version., Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
[2] Kenneth E. Hagin, Bible Prayer Study Course, Thirteenth Printing 2003, Faith Library Publications, 149
[3] Luke 3:11
[4] Ezekiel 37:1-14